


Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Romance

by Matris_Oedipus_Rex



Category: Monster Hunter (Video Games)
Genre: Adult Content, Anal Sex, Ass Play, Blood and Injury, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Canon Gay Relationship, Eventual Happy Ending, Falling In Love, First Time Blow Jobs, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, Humor, Love/Hate, M/M, Mild Language, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne DLC, Monsters, Play Fighting, Rape, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Fantasy, Violence, Weapons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:15:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24421165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Matris_Oedipus_Rex/pseuds/Matris_Oedipus_Rex
Summary: Will you be #TeamWhore, or #TeamVirgin?This story takes place after the main storyline of Monster Hunter World and at the beginning of the Iceborne expansion.As the Sapphire Star investigates the Legiana crisis, rival hunters VIRGIL and HORACE unwillingly embark on an assignment to uncover why large monsters are developing tendencies to rape one another. This startling behavior thrusts these combative hunters on a journey that will test their rocky relationship as well as drain their patience and willpower. As these hunters continually communicate with their fists rather than actual words, Virgil and Horace are about to understand that all is fair in love and war.DISCLAIMER: Monster Hunter World and the Iceborne expansion are owned by Capcom; therefore all rights are reserved to Capcom (So, I don't own Monster Hunter World, but if I did, I would've made the annoying Handler the final boss of the game). All places, monsters and people in the story are owned by Capcom-except for Virgil, Horace and their squads, whom I imagined. This is simply a NON-PROFIT story in Capcom's world, written by a long-standing lover of the Monster Hunter franchise.
Relationships: Hunter(s)/Hunter(s) (Monster Hunter)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter One

Virgil crept along the rock-face, tracking the slumbering Rathian as he led his squad members, Dante and Minerva.

Every step that Virgil took, Dante and Minerva shadowed, so that it seemed as if only one hunter stalked the Rathian.

The Rathian stirred—all three halted. The Rathian merely nestled beneath her wings and continued blowing snot bubbles atop her nest of eggs.

Virgil directed Dante and Minerva to their positions on either side of the Rathian.

As they passed by, Virgil readied his Clutch Claw at his wrist. His ever-subtle movements shook the Ghille Mantle, which he had strewn over his Vaal Hazak full armor set—except for the helm, which Virgil never wore because his thick, long brunette hair did not fit in a helm, even when tied up. Instead, Virgil often braided his hair for missions, allowing for some hair to escape the tress to frame his face. With dark coffee eyes and fair skin, Virgil looked like a Wyverian: beautiful—near Elvish in features—but strong and durable in stature.

A calm breeze sent the leaves rattling and stirred a few pollen spores.

Virgil connected eyes with Minerva and then Dante. A simple nod from Virgil triggered their attack.

Dante fired shots from his Bowgun.

The Rathian awoke upon impact—her armored body endured and reflected the ammo.

Minerva, with Duel Blades in either hand, assailed the Rathian at the fetlocks.

The Rathian staggered and stumbled about while crying out at the same time as she conjured fire from her throat.

Virgil aimed his Clutch Claw at that Rathian's fiery snout and snuffed out the flames by snatching her by the maw.

The Rathian jerked her head to break free from the muzzle.

However, Virgil reeled in on the line and drew himself onto the crown of the Rathian.

The Rathian took flight and thrashed about, tail-whipping Minerva and poisoning her with the barbs of her tail.

Virgil bared down until the Rathian calmed and hovered. Only then, did Virgil strike her with his Hunter's Knife, aiming for her eyes, but subsequently only chipping away at the heavy scales protecting the Rathian.

The Rathian, herself, boasted many such carvings about the eyes from previous mounts.

Dante put away his Bowgun and raced for the nest.

Minerva recovered from poison by downing an antidote, also breaking for the nest of eggs.

Dante stole the first egg and began his descent from the mountainside.

Minerva, too, carrying the egg that weighed as much as a well-fed, chubby-cheeked child, high-tailed it from the nest.

With the flying wyvern exactly where he wanted her, Virgil withdrew the Switchaxe from his back to discharge an explosive, blinding burst before dismounting.

However, a Clutch Claw came onto him by a bite to the breastplate.

The man on the other end of the line yanked Virgil from his seat on the Rathian and onto the ground.

Virgil flailed like a ragdoll as he rolled, mixing profanities with the dirt and debris that came with the great fall.

"Oh, did that hurt?" The offender asked, kicking over Virgil so that Virgil faced him.

Wearing a smile wider than that of a jackass eating thistles, Horace gleamed over Virgil. Horace, too, never wore the helmets of his sets for Augustus—a member on his squad—was deaf from years of enduring monster's screams—hand gestures and mouthing commands were the crux of Horace's leadership. Although Horace kept his blond hair shaved at the sides, he still had a crown full of medium-length, golden curls. Though equally as tall as Virgil, Horace was the hardier of the two. With broad shoulders and a ruggedness fit for a god of madness, Horace contrasted Virgil's Elvish beauty. Horace's eyes colored a darker, sullied shade of brown that seemed obsidian at a distance.

"Fuck off, Whore!" Virgil growled and reached for his Switchaxe; however, Horace stomped on his chest.

"You just spat in my eye," Horace said and winked.

Virgil clasped Horace's ankle, but Horace kicked him at the chin, knocking back his head.

"This is why pretty boys shouldn't be Master Rank hunters—let alone squad captains, Virgin," Horace mocked.

"My Hunter Rank is higher than yours, Whore!"

Horace chuckled. "Yet I've hunted more tempered monsters than you, baby—rank doesn't compare to reputation," Horace stepped on Virgil's face and grappled onto the Rathian to mount her as Virgil had done.

Virgil rolled onto his belly and saw that Horace's party-members—Augustus and Roman—also robbed the wyvern nest of eggs and raced against Minerva and Dante to beat them to town and the reward. "Whore, you bastard!" Virgil snarled, readied his Clutch Claw and shot at the Rathian.

However, the Rathian flew out of range and the area with Horace along for the glorious, near victorious ride.

Quick to take advantage of the environment, Virgil chased after the asshole atop the Rathian. He skidded down the slopes and used the momentum to project himself into the dangling vines, which he used as swings.

After sustaining several of Virgil's jumps between the dangling strands of vines like braided hair, the vines gave way and snapped from his weight.

Virgil fell and the green ropes burdened him by piling on him.

The Rathian circled above him, wailing still.

Virgil thrashed first, but soon escaped from those awful braids, only to find himself stranded upon a ledge with a lethal drop.

Fortunately, the Rathian came within Virgil's range and stirred the fog that gathered as a floating river among the treetops by her great wingspread.

Virgil leaped and shot his Clutch Claw that instant.

Hook met hock and Virgil attached to the wyvern. Virgil scuttled up the Rathian's hindlimb and crawled onto her back.

Horace simply rode the Rathian at the crown that he stole from Virgil.

Virgil scurried closer to Horace but stopped intermittently to bear down; Virgil refused to let Horace dethrone him again before he even had the chance to fight.

And fight he did; once Virgil met Horace, he snatched him by the golden, curly locks and dragged back his head.

Without losing his smile, Horace withstood Virgil's fist. Only after a few punches did Horace return the heat. He exchanged strikes with Virgil, bloodying his knuckles with a mixture of Virgil's blood and his own.

Virgil tackled Horace to gain ground over him, even though that ground was the shoulder blades of the Rathian. Virgil straddled Horace and wailed on him.

Horace deflected Virgil's fist and thwacked his forearm against Virgil's chest.

Virgil staggered and then dazed when Horace clashed foreheads with him.

That unstableness lost Virgil his upper hand. Horace overturned him, but for a cost; both Horace and Virgil toppled off the back of the Rathian, received a smack to the face by her wing and plummeted to the grassy yet grazed earth below.

The blood from Virgil's nose and the split skin on his forehead flavored Virgil's mouth with that distinctive taste of Zennies. Virgil spat, desiring only the taste of a true Zenny with a successful egg hunt mission. He crawled on his forearms and elbows to reach his Switchaxe.

Horace, however, lugged his Great Sword between Virgil and his weapon, but collapsed to his knees thereafter. He began laughing. "See, pretty boys shouldn't be Master Rank—can't even bring home eggs."

"Whose fault is that?" Virgil leaped onto Horace and beat his face red again.

Though, Virgil's strikes weakened from the fall and that gave Horace the ability to stale their fight by clenching Virgil at the wrists.

Virgil struggled, but ultimately only reddened Horace's face by bleeding on him.

Debilitated by the fall, too, however, Horace buckled at the bends of his arms and caved in.

As Virgil lit up with the greatest grin and cocked his fist for a final blow, a sudden shriek from the Rathian in the sky startled him. Virgil missed his strike and popped his knuckles on the ground.

The Rathian assailed the teams of both Horace and Virgil. Her heightened wrath highlighted the fact that she was not only vengeful but tempered, too.

Minerva succumbed to her attack and lost the egg that she carried.

Both members of Horace's team fell victim to the Rathian's wickedness as well, losing their eggs.

All but one of the eggs that they dropped cracked upon impact.

"Fuck me," Horace and Virgil said at the same time while they watched the mission unravel.

Horace threw off Virgil and gathered his Great Sword from the earth that it embedded.

Rather than retaliate, Virgil went for his Switchaxe and ran alongside Horace. And while doing so, he equipped Flash Pods to his Slinger. He aimed for the Rathian's crown, yet again, and shot her down with a blinding pop.

The Rathian landed like Virgil and Horace—hard. She squirmed on the ground, struggling to find proper footing.

While the Rathian thrashed, Horace circled about her and brought down his Great Sword.

Opposite to Horace, Virgil wielded his Switchaxe in Axe mode and swung it with only one arm in a repeated cycle.

Shell fractured and splintered from the Rathian's carapace.

Horace and Virgil shared laughter, though neither knew it—they could not hear each other over the commotion.

A great shadow then eclipsed over them and the field.

A Rathlos arrived on sight, most likely the mate of the Rathian.

Virgil and Horace backed off the Rathian and gathered the unbroken egg together. They handed it off to their squad members, but only to barely escape a fireball that the Rathlos spat at them by an evasive roll.

The Rathlos screamed, frothing at the maw with pyre.

But before Virgil or Horace had the chance to one-up the other by fighting style and dexterity, another Rathlos—an Azure Rathlos—appeared from the Ancient Forest. He dropped from the heights onto his red counterpart.

Assuming that they got out lucky and the two Rathlos would distract themselves with a turf war, Virgil and Horace backed off to run after their squads.

Horace continued his pissing contest with Virgil by overlapping him with speed and ran in front of Virgil. When Horace looked back to boast that he was fastest, he realized that Virgil had stopped running tens of meters back.

Virgil faced the wyverns and gawked at them as if mesmerized.

The Azure Rathlos tore into the lower ranking Rathlos, peeling back scale with his bite. The Rathian attempted to rescue her mate, but the Azure Rathlos spat fireball after fireball at her.

"Virgin!" Horace called.

Virgil did not respond.

Horace looked back at his and Virgil's squad to see that the last of them crawled into the bush that protected and concealed a campsite. With them safe, Horace ran for Virgil.

Before Horace met Virgil, the Azure Rathlos took notice of them and spat sun.

Both men broke for cover again as the remaining fire rained down on them. The men knocked into each other while doing so.

"The fuck, Virgin!" Horace struck Virgil while he hollered. "Move ass!"

Virgil snatched Horace by the collar and drew him onto himself as the Rathlos and Azure Rathlos trampled near them. "Don't you see it?" Virgil asked.

Horace ripped off Virgil's hand. "I see my ass savin' your ass!"

The men tumbled about like the Rathlos and the Azure Rathlos.

"Look at what he's doin' to him!" Virgil fed Horace his fist and then pointed.

The Azure Rathlos mounted the other Rathlos and raped him. He gnawed at the nape of his victim and withdrew submission from him.

"It's turf!" Horace said, yanking Virgil to his feet. "Let's go!" Horace dragged along Virgil until Virgil surrendered his interest in the large monsters to flee to safety.

Back in town, the festival had already begun. The Palico chefs prepared breasts of meat and pots of creamy vegetables, all in gluttonous quantity. The alcohol saturated the air and breath alike. Hunters danced and laughed, partaking in the baked breads and pastries left over from the morning's feast. Virgil's team ultimately delivered the wyvern egg to the Palicos for cooking, but both teams earned compensation—except for Virgil and Horace.

"You're fucking idiots!" The Commander scolded Virgil and Horace while pacing around the table of maps, pins and flags of strategic plans. "I come back from the shit-storm that is Seliana to this?" He deafened. "You two thick-skulled assholes are gonna cost us good men—you'll either get them killed or kill each other!"

Virgil and Horace wore half-mooned eyes and hardly listened—each focused on the tantalizing smells and sounds of the partying behind and around them.

Dante stumbled over with a mug of beer dripping with a thick, foamy cap down the side. "Loosen up, Cap'n," he slurred and yanked Minerva onto his hip. "'S time for fucking and foolery," he kissed Minerva and both stumbled, cackling.

The Commander gritted his teeth and wrinkled his brow and nose alike. "You're Master Rank hunters now," he said to them. "You're here to protect us and our home while your fellow Fivers and our Sapphire Star are dealing with the Legiana crisis."

"Keep Whore away from me and my missions and there'll be no issues," Virgil said.

"I carry you, Virgin—the Azure Rathlos would've grilled you over a BBQ Spit and cooked you like a Well-Done Steak if I hadn't gone back for you."

Horace and Virgil argued and spat in each other's faces over past and present missions.

The Commander silenced them, not by spite or spit, but by laughter.

Virgil and Horace matched their expressions as they stared at the Commander.

The Commander grabbed both men by their hair and slammed their heads together, maintaining his snickering. "Virgil—" the Commander said without missing a breath. "You witnessed something unusual today—something that may be a new behavior resulting from the disturbance of the mass exodus of Legiana. You're to investigate this—as a team." He left both men speechless as he disappeared into the festival, retrieving his well-earn, frosted tankard of frothy beer.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil and Horace set out on an investigation in the Ancient Forest, searching for answers to the unexplained rape that is occurring between large monsters. Their first lead is the Azure Rathlos, but the hunters learn more about the phenomenon by surprise visitors.

Virgil kneeled to gather a sample from tracks of the Azure Rathlos by a Poison Cup plant that brimmed with purple sap. He collected the sample on a knife and sniffed it. The scent suggested that the Azure Rathlos bore a threat level of two.

"Still can't recognize Azure tracks by sight, Virgin?" Horace came behind Virgil and slapped his back.

Virgil dropped his sample and knife. He twitched at the corner of his lip.

"There's signs of a turf war over there," Horace pointed to the disturbed soil with etches of claw marks and fragments of vine and brush by a patch of Sporepuff plants.

Vespoids buzzed about the hunters' heads, brandishing their thick stingers.

Too, atop the ledge near the possible site of a turf war, a Pukei Pukei slumbered peacefully.

Virgil rolled his tongue on the back of his teeth. "Very nice," he mocked. "Why aren't you—" Virgil flicked off Horace's hand. "Investigating it?"

Horace raised his eyebrow. "Y'know, 'cause the Commander asked me to babysit you to stop you from licking the Anjanath snot from the wall," he shoved Virgil into the wall with the Anjanath mucus slathered on it.

Virgil spat out some of the snot that got into his mouth. "Funny, 'cause the Commander—" Virgil sought after Horace. "Asked me to get you to stop eating Rathian shit," as he said, he plucked Horace by the nape and buried Horace's face in a pile of Rath dung, which still steamed.

Horace—laughing through his snarl—elbowed Virgil and then headbutted him, spreading the dung—and a cestode egg packet—from his forehead to Virgil's.

While Virgil and Horace argued with their fists, a distant cry and woosh of fire caught their attention; however, Virgil landed a final hit on Horace before tracking the noise.

Horace followed Virgil but fell behind when he stopped to wash off is face at the pool of water beneath the swing-vines. "'Ey, Virgin," he called out. "Wait up for me, baby!"

Virgil ignored him and scuttled up the tangled ivy webs.

"I waited for you yesterday when you had your thumb up your ass as you gawked at the two Rathlos!" Horace hollered and his voice startled some Forest Geckos that gathered about a patch of Brightmoss.

"The fuck?" Virgil growled at Horace, keeping his voice low. "Do you always blubber this much?"

Horace ascended the vines, braided like Virgil's hair. "Does it bother you?" he replied, leering wide as he neared Virgil. "Because, if it does so—" as Horace teased, Virgil cut off his words by clasping him over the mouth.

Virgil slammed Horace against the rock-face and hissed, "Still your tongue; no monster in the Ancient Forest poses as much a threat to you as I do."

Horace knocked back Virgil by a blunt jab of his forearm and snatched Virgil by the collar of his breastplate. Horace dropped Virgil to his knees and then to his back. With a smile, Horace sat in Virgil's lap before leaning in his face to purr, "Be _still_ my heart." Horace kissed the very tip of Virgil's nose to humiliate him further.

Even after Horace dismounted him, Virgil remained on his back, glaring with a furrowed brow at Horace. Unable to process what Horace had done to him, Virgil struggled to conceal a bout of full body tremors.

The Azure Rathlos then flew over the canopy, disturbing the leaves with gusts of wind.

After looking up and then back at Virgil, "You comin', sweetheart?" Horace kicked him.

Virgil jerked up and ripped out the greenery that caught in his armor after Horace threw him down.

Horace offered his hand.

Virgil grunted and erected, simply ignoring the rest of the vines and Horace, to hunt the Azure Rathlos.

The Rathlos landed, letting out a roar before spitting fireballs into the brush as if he targeted a hunter. He frothed at the maw as attempted to pounce on whatever he sought after.

Virgil hid at the outskirts of the area and Horace soon joined him.

The Azure Rathlos hopped back and hovered by the flaps of his great wings.

With Horace at his side, Virgil prickled at the neck with heat. "Go pull agro," he snarled.

Horace smirked. "Anything for you," and sneaked along the trunk of a wide, mossy tree.

However, a rustle in the foliage that the Azure Rathlos disturbed revealed the silhouette of a Tobi-Kadachi.

Seemingly without that knowledge, Horace readied a Flash Pod on his Slinger and sniped down the Azure Rathlos.

Within the bright of the flash, the Tobi-Kadachi lunged onto the Azure Rathlos, but so, too, did Horace.

At that moment, Horace and Virgil noticed that the Tobi bore many chips and cracks in its pastel blue carapace.

Horace managed to spit some profane things before the Kadachi assaulted him and the Azure Rathlos with zaps of electricity.

In a blind fury, the Azure Rathlos spun and whipped both Horace and the Kadachi with his pronged tail.

Virgil emerged from his hiding spot to attempt to repel the Kadachi by a Dung Pod.

But the Azure Rathlos regained his sight and charged at the Kadachi. He leaped onto the back of the enraged monster and mounted it.

The Kadachi whipped around its tail, snapped its head to the side and bit the Azure Rathlos at the hock.

While the monsters fought what appeared like a turf war, Horace swung his Great Sword, landing hits on both the Kadachi and the Rathlos.

Virgil put away the Dung Pods and withdrew his Switchaxe in Sword mode, planning to deter the Kadachi by breaking or severing its tail.

The Kadachi broke free from the Rathlos' claws and retaliated. It discharged more electric arrows and staggered the Azure Rathlos, while pushing back Virgil and Horace.

Without hesitation, the Azure Rathlos disrupted the soil at the Kadachi's feet by balls of pyre.

The Kadachi danced about the fire and avoided damage, remaining elusive to hunter and monster alike. Like a spring, the Kadachi leaped onto the Azure Rathlos while it levitated just below the low hanging treetops and grounded it.

The monsters rolled while they skirmished and forced Virgil and Horace to pull back once again.

Over unspoken words, Virgil and Horace regrouped at the periphery of the area.

"Let's repel the Kadachi," Virgil said.

Horace replied, "Let them resolve it themselves."

"We cannot let the Kadachi push away the Rathlos!"

"It's only turf!" Horace argued. "They'll tire of each other soon enough."

"This is not just turf! This is a new phenomenon and the Rathlos is our only lead in studying it!"

The Azure Rathlos pinned the Kadachi beneath its broken carapace and mounted it for the second time.

"You are not a researcher; you are a hunter! Hunters kill, Virgin! That's it!"

"We need to capture the Rathlos!"

The Azure Rathlos peeled off the blue scales on the Kadachi's hindlimbs and clamped down on its neck by a bite. Though the Kadachi resisted, the Azure Rathlos managed to control its position and raped it.

"If it's dead, it's dead," Horace asserted. "Problem fixes itself."

"The problem isn't just the Rathlos!"

A spread of the Kadachi's electrified splinters split Virgil and Horace before they began arguing with their knuckles.

The Kadachi broke free and struck the Azure Rathlos across the muzzle before unleashing a discharge that raised the hairs on the hunters' necks and arms.

The Rathlos staggered and spat but generated no flames due to fatigue.

With blood gathering within the crevasses between the Kadachi's scales, the monster retreated to another area, limping.

Horace took notice to several purple to black foreign bodies that embedded in the side of the Tobi Kadachi. Those foreign, penetrating objects looked nothing like Azure Rathlos material, at least to Horace.

The Azure Rathlos took flight and left the area, likely seeking an Aptonoth to eat.

"Where're you goin'?" Horace called out to Virgil as he left his side.

Virgil replied, "I'm tracking the Rathlos."

"Let's catch the Kadachi first," Horace said as he caught up to Virgil. "It looked like this wasn't the first battle that it endured."

"You can handle that yourself, can't you?" Virgil challenged.

"It'll take just a moment," Horace replied and grabbed Virgil by the wrist.

Virgil reacted by cramming his clenched fist against Horace's chin.

Horace faltered for but a moment before tackling Virgil and pinning him in a manner not too dissimilar to how the Azure Rathlos mounted the Tobi Kadachi. "Listen to me, Virgin! Let's catch the Kadachi first."

"You're wasting time!" Virgil resisted, but Horace overpowered him. "The Rathlos may leave the locale soon!"

"Quit worrying about your precious Rathlos for a damn minute! I think—" Horace hesitated. "I think that you may be right about this involving more than the Azure Rathlos."

Virgil remarked, "And here I thought that you were nothing more than big muscles and a thick skull."

Horace leered. "Awe, thank you; you think that my muscles are big?"

Virgil narrowed his eyes.

Horace scoffed. "I saw something strange about the Kadachi—he had odd material projecting out of him."

Virgil furrowed his brow. "All right, let's catch it."

Horace smiled and said, "Good boy," while slapping Virgil's cheek.

Virgil shoved Horace, knocking him off his lap. "Your hand smells like shit."

"Whose fault is that?" Horace teased as both hunters followed their Scoutflies that tracked the Kadachi.

Virgil fought the urge to smile. "Yesterday," he paused. "Why did you come back for me?"

Horace wrinkled his nose, not too sure how to answer. "The Commander would have eaten my ass if I didn't—it's code: hunter first, hunt second."

Virgil hummed.

"But," Horace added, dissatisfied with his answer and Virgil's response. "Who else would I fuck with if not with you?"

Virgil halted and leaned toward Horace. "I can teach you how to fuck yourself."

Horace smirked. "I'm listening."

Virgil headbutted Horace and continued following his Scoutflies.

Horace recovered quickly but did not reciprocate; even though Virgil had the last hit, Horace won that battle by word, alone.

Both hunters said nothing more until they neared the slumbering Tobi Kadachi.

"Do you see it?" Horace whispered against Virgil's nape.

Virgil nodded. "I don't recognize the material."

Horace agreed with a nod, too.

Virgil crept to the Kadachi's face as it slept and threw down three Tranq Bombs.

Horace kneeled near the monster's abdomen and set the Shock Trap.

The Kadachi woke up upon the shock, but soon succumbed to the tranquilizers.

Virgil came to Horace's side and examined the black scales that peppered around the Kadachi's prepuce and hindlimbs. The scales oozed a purple aura.

The Scoutflies collected about the strange scales.

Horace plucked a black scale and rotated it in a ray of sun that pierced through the dense canopy.

The black scale shifted color from ebony to amethyst in the light.

"The researchers are gonna have a field day with this," Horace said.

"No," Virgil said and his voice went up in tone. " _We're_ going to have a field day with this." He nudged Horace as he stared into the distance.

The Scoutflies trailed off into the shadows, where an unknown monster waited.

"Is that an Odogaron?"

As Horace asked, the monster crept into the clearing. It was an Odogaron, but its scales matched that of the one in Horace's palm—black, rather than the familiar red. The Ebony Odogaron locked its gaze on the hunters as it provocatively paced about the area.

Horace reached for his Great Sword.

Virgil stopped him. "We need to retreat."

"We can hunt it," Horace assured and withdrew his Great Sword—a threatening gesture.

"No—" As Virgil cautioned, the Ebony Odogaron cut off his words and pounced.

The men evasively rolled in opposite directions.

"Retreat!" Virgil demanded.

Though Horace heard his word, Horace did not heed Virgil's word. Horace brought down his Great Sword onto the Ebony Odogaron, but his blade deflected.

The deflection, however, caused the Odogaron to flinch. By the nature of the monster, and in response to the irritation from flinching, the Odogaron targeted Horace vengefully and swatted him.

The impact ruptured the integrity of Horace's breastplate and exposed Horace's chest.

"Damn it, Whore!" Going against his better judgement, Virgil attempted to pull aggravation by beating the monster with his Switchaxe in Axe mode. In a combination of moves, Virgil spun the axe overhead and converted his Switchaxe to Sword mode in a single, swift yet fluid transition.

The ebony Odogaron hopped about Virgil with incredible, unprecedented agility and evaded Virgil's last swings, still retaining its attention on Horace.

Horace, already on his feet, blocked the first two attacks, but failed to defend the third.

The Ebony Odogaron sliced Horace's exposed chest.

Horace dropped to his back.

Yet the Ebony Odogaron kept on him. With a wheezy inhale, the large monster snapped its great maw in a presentation of strength. A murky, red, electric-like haze fizzed about the Ebony Odogaron's elongated muzzle as it leaped onto a nearby wall to prepare a lethal pounce.

Virgil sheathed his weapon and lunged onto Horace, causing both men to roll down a short incline before the Ebony Odogaron landed on them.

Both hunters barely collected themselves as the Ebony Odogaron came against them.

Virgil resorted to punching the snout of the Ebony Odogaron as a minor deterrent.

But, fortunately for Horace and unfortunately for Virgil, that small motion caused the Ebony Odogaron to target Virgil.

Thinking on his feet, Virgil scrambled toward a dangling boulder trap preemptively set up by the Commission some time ago. He readied his Slinger with Redpits as he passed by the crimson plant.

The Ebony Odogaron toyed with Virgil, pawing at him with wide-sweeping swings, while on the chase.

Virgil's breastplate and coil suffered almost unrepairable damage after a few strikes, making Virgil vulnerable to bleeding.

Virgil suffered from multiple major cuts and plenty of minor abrasions by the time that he led the Ebony Odogaron under the trap and then shot at it with his Slinger.

The Ebony Odogaron crumbled under the weight of the many boulders.

And though wounded, Virgil returned to Horace's side almost instantaneously. Virgil wrapped Horace's arm around his neck and supported him.

Horace chuckled, even as he bled out. "Rescuing me?"

"Fuck off," Virgil hissed.

"Hunter first, hunt second, is it?" Horace asked.

Although Virgil said nothing in response, he didn't need to; Horace understood that Virgil not only equaled him in height, but rightfully matched him in hunterhood, priorities and alliance, too.

By the time that the Ebony Odogaron righted himself and wormed his way out from under the rocks, the hunters were in the next area, concealed by foliage.

Horace, though often proud and independent, leaned on Virgil, even after the two hunters returned to Astera. 


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil and Horace investigate the Wildspire Waste for signs of the Azure Rathlos. The hunters clash with more than just each other as they stumble into a dangerous encounter.

"This armor should do you good," the Smithy—an apprentice of the Second Fleet Master that sailed off to Seliana—said to Virgil and Horace. "We got a shipment from Seliana that had Master Rank materials in it. We can craft superior defenses for you hunters so that you can go back to protecting Astera. These should stand the testament of time—or until another variant decides to rear its ugly head."

"All right," Horace said, dressed in recently changed bandages. "Reach out when you're done making them."

The Smithy nodded. "Shouldn't be much longer."

Virgil thanked the Smithy and left the forge.

"'Ey, wait up," Horace called after Virgil. "Where're you goin'?"

Virgil wrinkled his brow. "We're not on an investigation, assignment or mission. Why are you clinging to me?"

"You're bratty," Horace said with a grin.

Virgil walked away.

Horace grabbed Virgil's wrist, but let go when Virgil gave him a sniping glare. "Look, Virgin, you saved my life—least I can do for you is buy you a cold beer."

"No, thank you," Virgil replied.

"A warm beer?" Horace teased.

Virgil pinched the bridge of his nose. "No."

"How 'bout I piss in a tankard—I'm sure you'd jus' love that."

Virgil pressed his chest against Horace's breast and used his look, alone, to challenge Horace to a duel.

"'Ey, lovebirds!" Dante called from the Canteen.

Virgil backed off.

"Is that how it's gonna be, Virgin?" Horace flirted with his tongue in his cheek.

Virgil developed a twitch at the corner of his eye.

"You two wanna join us? Minerva used a Gourmet Ticket, so all the ingredients are fresh as can be!"

"Thanks, but—" as Virgil declined, Horace wrapped his arm around Virgil's neck and dragged him by it.

"—Course we'll join you!" Horace exclaimed and deafened Virgil's right ear to a ring.

Virgil reddened his face while freeing himself from Horace's vice of a grip. He panted with parted lips and contemplated strangling Horace after pulling away.

"Heard you two encountered a variant," Minerva said as she returned to the table with multiple tankards of booze.

"An Ebony Odogaron," Horace said. "Gonna get a real pretty scar 'cause of it," he boasted with a puffed out chest.

Virgil sat down and rubbed his eyes rather than acting on his impulse.

"It's too bad, though; the Ebony Odogaron hasn't been sighted in the Ancient Forest since we tangoed with it, so it likely left the locale," Horace added with a not-to-subtle pat to Virgil's back.

"Yeah, but Virgil saved your sorry ass," Dante said and then waved over Horace's squad members, Augustus and Roman.

"It's 'cause I wanted him to have a victory for once," Horace said and then hugged and kissed Augustus and Roman as they came to sit with them.

"Why didn't you bring your Palicos for support?" Minerva asked.

Virgil lit up. "Oh, I'm training my Palico, but, Horace, go ahead, tell them why your Palico was absent." He crinkled his nose at Horace as he showed his teeth in a massive smile.

Horace rolled his tongue against his teeth. "She's pregnant."

"Oh, and she's so gravid," Virgil said and emphasized the Palico's belly with his hands. "But don't leave out the best part," Virgil smacked Horace's cheek. "Who sired the kittens?"

Monotone, "Your Palico, Virgin," Horace replied.

The table oohed, cementing Virgil's victory.

Virgil uncrossed his arms and said, "Now I'm hungry!" He reached over to Horace's plate and took his poultry drumstick—another power move.

Horace shook his head, though he bit his smirk.

Augustus signed to Horace, saying, _I'm impressed that you and Virgil haven't killed each other._

Horace jeered.

_Yet_ , Augustus signed, teasing him.

Horace sneered and replied, _I'm killing him in another way._

Augustus and Roman, too, laughed.

"Have you two learned anything about the new phenomenon?" Dante asked.

"Not much," Virgil replied. "But researchers at the Ecological Research Center believe that the males of each species are overrepresented."

"What's that mean?" Minerva asked.

Virgil said, "That the males seem to be the only to act out with malicious intent toward other males."

Roman added, "Seems like this case was designed just for you assholes."

The hunters shared a laugh.

"You might be right about that," Horace said and grabbed Virgil's shoulder. "'Cause Virgil seems to like it when I mount him."

"You have not mounted me," Virgil replied and attempted to peel off Horace's hand.

Horace tightened his grip, preventing Virgil from removing it. "'Course I have, love; I mounted and toppled you twice during our investigation."

Virgil stammered.

"It's the only time that you listen to me—when I'm in your lap."

Virgil lunged onto Horace and tackled him to the ground.

While enduring fists to the face, Horace cackled.

The table of their squad members joined Horace in laughter.

Horace grabbed Virgil's knuckles as Virgil cocked it to punch him. "You know that you're not making your case, right?" Horace spat the blood from his mouth that came from his split lip. "Look at where you're sitting."

Virgil noticed that he straddled Horace. 

The Commander approached. "Glad to see that you're getting along just fine."

Virgil went to stand, but Horace clutched him at the hips, preventing Virgil from dismounting. "As close as ever, Cap."

"I'm gonna spit on you," Virgil threatened Horace.

"Bring it, babe," Horace challenged.

Virgil struck him instead.

"All right, all right, boys," the Commander said after a snicker. "You up for another investigation?"

"If it's leading us to finishing this, then, yes," Virgil said.

"It's cute that you think that finishing this will be the end of _this_ ," as Horace said _this_ , he implied their relationship.

Virgil snarled at Horace.

"The Azure Rathlos was sighted in the Wildspire Waste by some Felyne researchers. They said that it was acting erratically and slaying small monsters and endemic life without feeding on them," the Commander debriefed the hunters. "If you can, capture it—the Ecological Research Center wants to study it face-to-face. Understood?"

Virgil and Horace nodded.

"Good," the Commander crossed his arms. "Try not to get yourselves killed."

After a hearty meal, that both men scarfed down with lightning speed as per usual, the hunters stopped by the Smithy for their upgraded equipment. The armor set matched the layered armor that the Sapphire Star received upon entering the Hoarfrost Reach and it was a summation of Beotodus, Banbaro and Viper Tobi-Kadachi materials. Their weapons comprised of the same materials with the addition of miscellaneous monster gems. Once in the appropriate garb and gear, the hunters departed on a short Wingdrake flight to the Wildspire Waste and arrived at the Southwest Campsite.

"The weather's kinda," Horace said as he gazed into the gray, cloudy sky. "Not good."

"Perfect for today, then," Virgil remarked as he headed for the first area.

"What's gotten into your ass?" Horace played as he followed Virgil and his Scoutflies.

"You," Virgil replied without thinking and then regretted it.

Horace leered. "Is that an invitation?"

Virgil collected Azure Rathlos tracks. "I'd like to see that you take it as one," he replied.

"Oh?" Horace pinged.

Virgil faced Horace. "Yeah—it'll give me the perfect excuse to beat your ass."

"You've never needed an excuse for that before," Horace flirted.

"You exhaust me," Virgil replied and returned to gathering tracks.

Horace wrapped his arms around Virgil's neck and embraced him from behind. "Welcome to the game, baby."

Virgil groaned.

"'Ey," as Horace leaned on Virgil, he noticed what looked like signs of a turf war. "That looks promising," he let up on Virgil and walked toward it. "It's from a Diablos," Horace said.

Virgil approached. "Two Diablos," he added and picked up splinters of carapace. "A Black Diablos and her male counterpart."

"It's mating season already?" Horace posed.

"No," Virgil replied. "Females aren't due in estrus until the end of the year."

Horace hummed. "Do you think that this is related to the new phenomenon?"

"I thought that you said that I wasn't a researcher, Whore; that I was a hunter," Virgil challenged.

Horace smiled. "You amuse me, Virgin."

Virgil returned the look. "I suppose that the erroneous behavior of the males could induce estrus; such responses have been well-documented in endemic life species like the hares, but never in large monsters."

As Horace replied, the shriek of a Diablos overrode his words.

Both hunters erected and turned to the area where it came from; over unspoken words, Virgil and Horace chased after the screams.

The Diablos and Black Diablos clashed horns as they skirmished.

Virgil and Horace took cover nearby to observe.

The Diablos and Black Diablos parted and the Black Diablos tail-whipped the Diablos.

The Diablos endured her blow and then gripped the Black Diablos' back.

With the pressure of the Diablos over her hips, the Black Diablos arched her back downward and assumed the posture known as lordosis. Lordosis as well as the female Diablos' black color suggested her receptiveness to copulation.

And as so, the Diablos mounted the female and mated with her.

"Do you think that the Azure—" Horace began, but a sudden blast of fire from the sky collided with the ground near the two Diablos, disrupting him and the monsters.

The Diablos separated and staggered.

From the Heavens, the Azure Rathlos emerged, parting the heavy clouds with his great wingspan.

"Never mind," Horace said with a scoff. "Shall we dance?"

Virgil nodded. "Let's have some fun."

The hunters emerged from the brush and headed straight into the scuffle.

The Black Diablos charged at the Azure Rathlos and ran into him with her twisted horns.

Following his female, the Diablos mimicked her and rammed into the Azure Rathlos.

As a recoil, the Azure Rathlos spat a series of fireballs in a near musical pattern; he threw three balls, paused and then blew two more in a rapid sequence.

Virgil readied his Clutch Claw, as did Horace. Virgil sent out his hook at the Black Diablos' face and grappled onto her.

Horace clutched onto the other Diablos in the same position as Virgil—at the helm of the monster like ship.

Virgil changed the Black Diablos' direction by striking it. Once she faced the Azure Rathlos, Virgil Flinch Shot her and dismounted.

The Black Diablos uncontrollably ran in the direction that Virgil led her and ultimately clashed with the Azure Rathlos.

The impact knocked down the Black Diablos, but merely dazed the Azure Rathlos.

However, Horace mirrored Virgil, like the Diablos copied the Black Diablos, and changed the Diablos' direction to prep another Flinch Shot. As soon as the Diablos turned to the path of the Azure Rathlos, Horace unleashed his shot and threw the Diablos into the Rathlos.

A second smash from a Diablos dropped the Azure Rathlos to lateral recumbency.

With all three monsters struggling on their sides, Virgil and Horace withdrew their weapons and assailed them.

Since the Smithy had updated their blades with new Master Rank materials, they packed many crushing blows.

Carapace from the Rathlos erupted from his chest, leaving an ugly, yet beautiful fissure with plenty of feathers deriving from it.

Horace managed to break off a Twisted Stouthorn from the Black Diablos and broke the wingtalon on the non-colored Diablos.

The Black Diablos righted herself first. Pissed, she screamed, causing both hunters to lose hearing for several prolonged moments.

Her mate, too, righted and let out a cry before burrowing into the ground.

Virgil evasively rolled as the tremors from the ground beneath his feet grew greater, suggesting that the Diablos drew nearer. Virgil didn't even hit the floor before the Diablos erupted from under the sand and infertile soil to throw up the Azure Rathlos into the air.

The Azure Rathlos flailed and came down to the earth without managing to regain himself.

Fatigued, the Diablos panted and drooled.

His female, however, targeted Horace for snapping her precious horn. She dug a tunnel, too, and pursued the offensive hunter.

Horace dodged her outburst and rolled near Virgil. Both hunters found their feet and defended against the Black Diablos.

Now furious, the Azure Rathlos crawled to his feet and snapped down on the tired Diablos.

He screeched in response to the teeth of the Rathlos dislodging his protective scales.

The Black Diablos, though facing off with the hunters, became distracted by the cry. She swung her tail to force the hunters to back down and then dug deep. Beneath the sand like waves, she raced to the aid of her mate and reemerged to confront the Azure Rathlos.

The Azure Rathlos swung his poisoned tail and smacked the Black Diablos across the mandible. He then overpowered the Diablos and mounted it. Unlike with the red Rathlos or the Kadachi, where he simply raped it, the Azure Rathlos attempted to kill the Diablos while molesting it. He first fractured a Stouthorn and then repeatedly jerked the Diablos' neck by snatching it with his mouth and twisting it counterclockwise.

The Black Diablos scurried up the back of the Azure Rathlos while still mounted on her mate and gnawed at its nape.

Virgil and Horace both scrambled to ready their Slinger with Flash Pods. Both hunters managed to shoot a bomb of light into the ball of monsters at the same time.

The light blinded even the hunters, but only for a moment.

The Black Diablos, Diablos and Azure Rathlos, however, suffered the greatest from the bombs and each stunned as they toppled off each other.

As sudden as the flash, another monster entered the ring from the ungodly darkness of the Heavens.

By the distinctive cry alone, Virgil and Horace recognized the monster—a Nergigante.

The Nergigante clutched both Diablos by the horns and buried their heads in the sand that they so often frequented. The Diablos struggled, but the Nergigante overruled both and slayed them as a pair.

The carcasses went limp.

Unwilling to bow down, the Azure Rathlos stood against the Nergigante.

The Nergigante cried out and lunged onto the Azure Rathlos. He quickly overpowered the taxed Azure Rathlos and mounted it.

Virgil wielded his Switchaxe in Axe mode and prepared to deter the Nergigante; however, the Nergigante discharged a spread of needles.

Horace wrapped his arms around Virgil's waist and pulled him back before the spikes impaled him.

Virgil toppled onto Horace and landed in his lap.

"This isn't our fight, Virgin!" Horace shouted among the wailing of the monsters.

Rather than fight back, Virgil relaxed his shoulders—an early sign of defeat for he knew what laid ahead for the Azure Rathlos.

The Nergigante pried back many blue scales on the Rathlos and exposed his delicate skin.

Passed his prime, the Azure Rathlos submitted to the Nergigante and endured the pronged penis of the Nergigante as the Elder lacerated his sensitive perineal skin and caused significant rectal bleeding. The monster whimpered with every stroke and his fire slowly doused.

The Nergigante punctured holes into the Rathlos' webbing from its spines. With a mighty clench, the Nergigante shattered the Rathlos' face as it clamped shut its mouth.

Steam lightly rose from the Rathlos' nostrils as it faded away beneath his conqueror.

Even after the Azure Rathlos expired, the Nergigante mistreated his carcass. With a final howl, the Nergigante dismounted and swiftly left the locale.

Horace pulled away from Virgil to investigate the carcass; however, he stopped when he looked back to see if Virgil joined him.

Virgil, still sitting where he fell onto Horace, froze in place. With distant eyes, he wept. Though his tears dropped copiously down his cheeks, Virgil wore a blank face.

Horace, having never witnessed Virgil in such a vulnerable way, experienced an increased heart rate.

As Horace word-searched for something to say, Virgil whispered, "I'm sorry."


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil and Horace grow closer and connect over the events that happened in the Wildspire Waste. The hunters then depart into the Elder's Recess to track the Nergigante. Yet again, these hunters bite off more than they can chew on their investigation, but they learn a lot about their mission and each other.

"The Azure Rathlos was a busy boy," the Commander said as Virgil, Horace and several ecological and botanical researchers stood about the physically square, yet symbolically round meeting table.

"Ah, yes," an ecological researcher said. "He had trace materials from 25 separate species of large monsters embedded in his armor. There was obvious wear from harsh environments as well—there were signs of desiccation from the Wildspire's harsh sun to splatters of lava that came from the volcanic regions of the Elder's Recess. The monster's body condition score suggested that he stopped eating some time ago. He was emaciated and lost significant muscle tone."

The Commander hummed. "Good riddance to that menace."

Horace looked over at Virgil to gauge his response.

Virgil, still rather absent-minded it seemed, stared off into nothing.

A botanical researcher spoke up, "There were odd samples of flora that were of interest to us on his carcass, too. Though most of the debris that we pulled off the Rathlos came from the New World, there were some particulates that were unknown to us. Yes, he spanned far across the New World, but he may have come from elsewhere."

"That may be where the Nergigante originated from, too," the Commander said.

"Indeed," an ecological researcher agreed. "As of now, however, the Nergigante was last sighted by my men in the Elder's Recess."

The Commander nodded. "All right, hunters," he addressed Virgil and Horace. "You've got a new assignment on hand. Investigate the Elder's Recess for signs of the Nergigante. Since we know that our dear friend feeds off other Elder Dragons, we can assume that he is here to do just that. We do not have enough information yet that makes Nergigante culpable for causing these behavioral disturbances, but he's our next lead. If you manage to encounter him, slay him."

"Preserve the carcass as much as you can," an ecologist added. "We want to identify his place of origin."

"Affirmative," Horace said.

"All right, men, good work out there," the Commander patted Virgil's back as he said. "Stay safe."

The researchers and the Commander left the meeting.

Virgil bowed his head and began for the Canteen.

Horace followed him, but then fell back. He hesitated to reach out to Virgil; the men hadn't said a word to each other since the Wildspire Waste.

As Horace watched Virgil use the lift to the Canteen, Augustus grabbed Horace's shoulder and shook him.

Horace faced Augustus and greeted him.

With a smile, Augustus praised Horace for the hunt and asked, _what's next?_

Horace looked up frequently at the Canteen as he replied to Augustus, _track and_ s _lay Nergigante._

Augustus took notice of Horace's antsy conduct. _The fuck's going on with you? Did Virgil rightfully cram his fist in your ass?_

Horace jeered and signed, _something_ —Horace hesitated with his hands. _–Odd happened at the end of our investigation. I don't know how or if I should address Virgil about it. I want to, but—_ Horace trailed off on the thought by dropping his hands and staring at the Canteen.

Augustus tapped on Horace's shoulder and signed, _that hasn't stopped you before_.

Horace scoffed.

 _Just talk to him_ , Augustus signed.

Horace tried brushing off Augustus, but finally caved into his request—only after Augustus dragged him by the arm to the lift for the Canteen.

Augustus signed, _good luck, asshole_ , as he shoved Horace onto the lift and triggered it to carry Horace to the Canteen.

Once there, Horace stepped off the lift and saw Virgil sitting at the bar by the Meowscular Chef.

Virgil ordered a tankard of hard liquor and drank it without a main dish to pair with it.

"'Ey, Virgin," Horace came to him and sat at his side.

Virgil said nothing and took a gulp of liquor.

"Uh," Horace tried to make conversation, but nothing came out.

"I don't slay," Virgil finally said in the awkward air and after another sip. "As much as I can, at least," he added and sloshed around his booze. "I've slayed Elders, of course, but," he sighed. "I've asked the Research Center about upgrading our traps and bombs so that we could capture Elders, but they say that, though it's possible, it's dangerous to anesthetize Elders—that the drugs affect them differently and that they have a far shorter and unpredictable durational effect."

Horace ordered a tankard of hard liquor from the Meowscular Chef as Virgil talked.

"But, as for the large monsters, I always capture them on a hunt."

"Why?"

"You get better rewards," Virgil replied with a shrug.

"Really, though, Virgin," Horace insisted. "Why?"

"It's just not my place," he replied. "I am no god; I am a hunter. I shouldn't ever be so arrogant as to slay a monster because I simply can. I became a hunter to protect our people, but I do not agree with the fact that we slay monsters without a good cause. As for Elders, well," he sighed. "These monsters are incredibly powerful—able to change the environment with a blink of their eye. Yet, we, man, slay them. They came first; they've been around for ages, shaping the world. We've just come along and look at what we've done."

As Virgil talked, Horace took notice of a strand of Virgil's hair resting at the corner of his mouth.

Horace reached out and moved it, but also slightly caressed Virgil's face, too.

Virgil pulled back from Horace and furrowed his brow at him.

"You were eating your hair," Horace replied.

Virgil wrinkled his nose, too.

"What were you saying—about the Elders?"

Virgil squinted, but then returned to his train of thought after remembering it. "We slay Elders because we feel threatened, yet we were the invasive species. Elders _are_ dangerous, don't misunderstand me, but," Virgil paused. "Take Nergigante, for example. He's an Elder Dragon Eater. He comes along when another Elder is dying and slays it for consumption. He's a natural link in the chain; he's a balancer."

"And yet we slay him," Horace said, receiving his tankard from the Meowscular Chef.

Virgil nodded.

Horace nudged Virgil. "I knew that you were more ecologist than hunter."

Virgil let out a small smile.

"You're as cute and soft as a Downy Crake, Virgin."

Virgil punched Horace, but both hunters laughed it off.

"You ready for this investigation?" Virgil asked.

Horace shrugged. "There's been sightings of Glavenus and Tigrex in the Elder's Recess, so at least we'll have fun."

"Fun, with you? Never," Virgil teased.

Horace chuckled as he waved over the Meowscular Chef. "Are you hungry?"

Virgil lowered his eyes at Horace and then brought them back up before saying, "I could eat."

Horace leered. "Good to know. Chef," he withdrew a Gourmet Ticket. "Your choice."

The Meowscular Chef took on the invitation and cooked the hunters a meal that even gluttons could not entirely eat.

Virgil and Horace embarked on their investigation in the Elder's Recess shortly after preparing their inventories with essentials like Health Potions, Mega Potions, Ancient Potions, Max Potions as well as Cool Drinks and other miscellaneous things. The hunters updated their armor with Master Rank materials that their squad members harvested while they were out on investigation before finally riding Wingdrakes to the Eastern Camp in the Elder's Recess.

"Already, I don't like the smell in the air," Horace said as he and Virgil began following their Scoutflies. "It's rotten—foul."

"You sure that it's not just your upper lip?" Virgil remarked, loading his Clutch Claw with stones.

Horace snickered and grabbed Virgil by the end of his fishtail braid. "Gettin' a little too comfortable with me, aren't you, Virgin?"

Rather than act out in malice, Virgil replied with charm, "Are you prepared to make that move?"

Horace grew a wicked leer and wound Virgil's braid about his fist.

Virgil parted his lips, revealing that he slightly gritted his teeth, as Horace twisted his hair.

"You tell me," Horace said, pulling back on Virgil's strands and nearly touching his nose against Virgil's nose.

Virgil hummed with half-mooned eyes and a subtle smile.

The call of the Nergigante broke the palpable air between the hunters; however, neither Virgil nor Horace looked away from the other—doing so meant defeat for either one and both were stubborn men.

A subsequent cry from a Teostra intrigued Virgil and he—almost automatically—looked in the direction of the scream.

As soon as Virgil realized what he had done, Horace let up on his braid and walked off to investigate the sounds. "Come along, now, Virgin," he looked back at Virgil, wearing a victorious grin. "We don't want to be late for this."

Under a stormy, clouded sky with blue lightening, the hunters trailed the Nergigante and Teostra tracks until they sighted the two in the same area, where the volcanic region opened its mouth and let out its hot breath.

The Teostra slinked about the Nergigante with an aggressive snarl. While bowing his head and rocking his shoulders as he crept, the Teostra analyzed his next move.

The Nergigante twitched his head while he watched the Teostra and salivated not from fatigue, but from anticipation.

Horace pressed his hand against the small of Virgil's back.

Though armor nullified most of the sensation of Horace's touch, Virgil experienced a jolt up his spine regardless.

"Will you be okay with this?" Horace asked. "Slaying him?"

"I'm not a pussy, Whore," he replied.

"Eh," Horace objected. "Jury's still out on that, Virgin, baby."

Virgil scoffed. "I'll be fine; thanks for asking. If anything," Virgil said as he watched the Teostra fake-out the Nergigante by swinging his paw at him. "This'll be like a humane euthanasia—the Azure Rathlos was incredibly moribund when the Nergigante slayed him; it is likely that Nergigante is equally suffering."

The Teostra pounced on the Nergigante and rolled with him on the stony ground. The Teostra left prints all over the Nergigante's scales, sculpting them by the heat of his fire.

The Nergigante twisted his torso and toppled the Teostra by sheer force. He retaliated by stomping on the Teostra's vertebrae, making him submissive to Nergigante. With a bite and a tug, the Nergigante degloved the tip of the Teostra's tail and then mounted him.

A Lunastra flew over the hunters and, without a word, both hunters grappled onto her. She carried the hunters to the Nergigante and Teostra, encircling the monsters while shrieking.

Virgil and Horace jumped to the Lion Queen's crown and Flinch Shot her into the mess of monsters.

Upon the collision, the Nergigante and Teostra separated and the Lunastra laid between them.

Virgil and Horace rushed to set up several Mega Barrel Bombs among the beasts as they thrashed.

When the hunters triggered the bombs by their Slinger ammo, the eruption magnified from the orange and blue flames from the Teostra and the Lunastra. The kickback from the explosion knocked down the hunters.

However, both recovered in an instant and proceeded to wail on the Elder Dragon Eater.

Virgil softened up the Nergigante's tough hide by grappling to him and tenderizing it by a strike from the Axe mode of his Switchaxe.

Horace chiseled away at the Elder Dragon Eater's pronged tail by charging up his Great Sword and lugging it onto the part.

The Teostra and Lunastra recovered first and rose into the air. The Elder Dragons flew in a sacred circle. The growing heat between Teostra and Lunastra represented the unbreakable, ever-rising bond that those two Elder Dragons shared with each other.

Even the moisture in the air boiled away as intense waves distorted visibility.

Virgil and Horace retreated, knowing that the bonding of Teostra and Lunastra always resulted in an ultimate move that had the potential to render flesh from bone. The men took shelter in a neighboring area, laying low and behind silvery crystals until the Elders burned out.

The Nergigante righted himself and sprang into the core of the sun that the bonding of Teostra and Lunastra created. He collided with the Lunastra and slammed her to the ground before she unleashed her ultimate move. The Nergigante repeatedly beat the Lunastra's head into the stone until her crown completely shattered.

The Teostra went to the aid of his queen by mounting the Nergigante and chomping at his neck, while still bleeding the aura of a star.

In spite, it seemed, the Nergigante—as he endured the gnawing of the Teostra—raped the Lunastra, proving that he was the apex Elder.

"Virgin, let's—" Horace began working up a plan to fight the Elders, but then caught sight of the monster ambushing them from behind. "Fuck!" He exclaimed and tackled Virgil.

The hunters rolled just in time for the Kushala Daora's windblast to hit where they had just been laying.

The oxygen that Kushala Daora breathed into the areas with his gusts fueled the feathers of flames that gathered in the air.

The fire became a torrential storm—a red and blue hurricane—and tore at the hunters as well as singed their exposed skin.

In a feat to escape the Hell on earth, Virgil withdrew a Farcaster and popped it on the ground.

However, no Wingdrake appeared with all the smoke and fire.

Kushala Daora created a barrier with wind around the area and then dove through the moaning wall of calls to confront the other Elders.

Virgil helped Horace to his feet and both fled into another area, where it was possible for a Farcaster to summon a Wingdrake.

The Wingdrake flew in an erratic manner until it arrived at the Southwest Campsite due to the weight of both hefty hunters. It even threw the hunters into the crystallized walls several times because of its struggle.

Virgil and Horace landed roughly on the floor of the campsite and laid there for a moment. When Virgil and Horace met eyes, they shared a laugh.

"We're in over our heads," Horace remarked and sat up. "We could take them on if they were only High Rank, but those bastards—calling them Master Rank is an understatement."

Virgil agreed as he sat up, too. "They're all tempered."

"The hell is attractin' all these tempered Elders to the Recess?" Horace stood up and offered Virgil his hand.

Virgil took it. "Could be the Everstream," Virgil said. "It's acting up again."

Horace hummed and led Virgil to the hot spring beside the camp to wash off the soot. "But these Elders don't seem to be normal, y'know what I mean?"

"I don't think that they're native to here—if the Azure Rathlos came from somewhere else and was exhibiting this type of abnormal behavior—"

"—Then this truly supports that Teostra, Lunastra and Nergigante are also visitors," Horace finished Virgil's thought.

Virgil nodded. "So, yes, we're in over our heads."

Horace chuckled and plopped into the hot spring. "'Ey," he pointed to the ceiling. "I never noticed that drawing before."

Virgil looked up. "Is that Nergigante?"

The picture on the roof depicted a scene of a battle between Nergigante, men and Palicos.

"Huh," Horace said and then returned his gaze to Virgil. "You gonna sit?"

Virgil leered and plopped down right in Horace's lap.

Horace exclaimed, "'Ey, man, you're sittin' on somethin'!" He sniggered and pushed against Virgil's back, but lightly.

"Oh, you didn't want this?" Virgil teased and faced Horace. As he straddled Horace, he wrapped his arms behind Horace's head and leaned closer. "Your directions were unclear; be more direct next time."

Horace pressed his tongue against his cheek as he smiled and shook his head.

Virgil dismounted him and sat at Horace's side.

Horace plucked Virgil by the braid and plunged his head underwater—though, also intentionally over his own groin, too. "Eat my cock, asshole."

Virgil braced himself by pushing on Horace's knees. Between dunks, Virgil cackled and said, "I'm gonna choke!"

Horace matched Virgil's amusement as he exclaimed, "You bet your ass that you're gonna choke!" After soaking Virgil's hair for a final time, Horace let up on him.

Virgil spat at Horace and wiped his hand across his grin. "Okay, I deserved that, but why did I enjoy it so much?"

Horace jeered. "All that I wanted to enjoy was the water on my achy balls, but you crushed 'em, bastard."

Virgil snickered. "Why are your balls aching?"

"You're the one who calls me a whore," he replied.

"And you always call me a virgin, but that doesn't necessarily make it true."

The campsite rattled as the Elders outside battled.

"Oh, Virgin's got game, does he?" Horace teased.

"Bitches love me," Virgil boasted. "I'm a gentleman when loving."

Horace howled. "You got a signature move?"

"Raw butt obliteration," Virgil replied.

Horace shouted, "What?"

Virgil gleamed, boasting, "That's my Guild Card message— _Raw butt obliteration_ —except I spelled _butt_ as _but_ to sneak it by the Guild."

Horace reddened his face by laughter.

"What's yours?"

"Good at head."

Virgil leaned into Horace, saying through his glee, "This is why the Guild can't take us anywhere nice."

"It's why they sent us to the New World," Horace added, through his bitten smirk.

Another Dragon-derived earthquake rattled the hunters and their camp.

"You wanna bet as to who'll win?" Horace asked.

Virgil replied, "Nergigante always wins turf wars, so..."

Horace sighed. "You're probably right."

An unfamiliar shriek caught the hunters' attention. Neither Virgil nor Horace recognized the wail.

Virgil and Horace jumped out of the hot springs and chased after the high-pitched and hollowing voice.

As soon as the men left the campsite, the temperature dropped substantially; the hunters saw their breaths materialize.

Snow mixed with fire as Virgil and Horace trekked through the Recess until they came upon the area where they saw the Elder Dragons brawling.

Teostra, Lunastra and Kushala Daora—deceased—covered in thick layers of ice.

Mounds of crystalline structures littered the area and stemmed from those Elder carcasses.

As Virgil and Horace wandered through their winter wasteland, the men encountered her—Velkana.

Velkana rested near her conquests, calm and unbothered by the dissipating smoke in the air. She tucked her paws beneath her proud breast and offered a look of serenity. Velkana boasted no glittery crown or frigid armor—for she had not yet awakened in ice.

Virgil and Horace hid within the towering crystals of mercury.

"What the fuck is that?" Horace whispered.

Virgil replied, "I think that's what the Sapphire Star's been hunting."

The Nergigante appeared from the volcanic region and strutted toward Velkana, walking by Virgil and Horace without responding to their presence.

Velkana erected and waited for the Nergigante to approach.

Eerily calm, the Nergigante greeted Velkana with a sniff.

Velkana allowed the Nergigante to walk to her rear. She began urinating.

With a curled upper lip and drooped lower lip, the Nergigante tested the Velkana's urine. As he sampled, he shook his head and snuffled, dribbling out clear mucus from his nostrils.

"Elder Dragons do that?" Virgil whispered.

"Do what?"

"That's a Flehmen Response—it's only been documented in mammals and it's to check for a female's receptiveness."

"But they're different species," as Horace said, the Nergigante laid his head on the Velkana's back—a precursor of mounting.

Velkana squealed and deterred the Nergigante by a blast of her icy breath and a stab from her ice pike of a tail.

The Nergigante backed off as he staggered.

Velkana took flight and left the locale.

After several sneezes and a headshake, the Nergigante, too, left the locale.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil and Horace continue their investigation of the Nergigante, but they are thwarted by a very angry pickle.

"A Velkana sighting in the Elder's Recess," the Commander mumbled as he marked the sighting on a map at the meeting table. "This is surely promising."

"Has anyone informed the Sapphire Star about this?" Horace asked.

"Yes," the Commander replied. "We sent word to the Field Team Leader and he is working with the other Fivers and our Sapphire Star on investigating this."

"Her role in the behavioral upheaval just may be the key to this," an ecologist added.

"It seems like she is searching for a mate," Virgil said. "If she's behind this, it would make sense that the males were the only affected."

"She could be potentially attracting males of every species by pheromones to find a potential mate—if the Nergigante truly exhibited a Flehmens Response as Virgil noted," an ecologist theorized.

"The question now is, why?" An engineer posed to the table. "Why mate another of a different species?"

"Furthermore, necropsies of the Teostra, Lunastra and Kushala Daora yielded more questions than answers. Their stomach contents consisted of fodder that is not found in any known area of the New World. Soil and flora samples from their toenails supported this claim as well." An ecologist debriefed the table. "All other findings were unremarkable and cause of death was consistent with hypothermia."

Everyone met a consensus over unspoken gestures such as nods and hums.

The Commander let up on the table as he exhaled. "All right, men," he addressed Virgil and Horace. "Incredible work thus far."

The hunters nodded.

"Continue investigating the Nergigante; however," the Commander pinged. "Do not slay him."

"But, sir—"

The Commander raised his hand and interrupted Horace. "We need to understand his part in this. Nergigante is the Elder Dragon Eater, not the deliverer of new life. The Research Commission will benefit greatly from understanding this unique cycle of Elders."

"Understood," Virgil spoke up first.

Horace agreed by a quick gesture.

"As of last, he was sighted in the Ancient Forest," an ecologist said before gathering up his notes and books. "Good luck."

"Treat yourself to something nice, okay?" The Commander addressed the hunters as the rest of the members of the meeting dispersed. "I'm impressed with how far you've come—you've got a few bruises and abrasions from your scuffles, but neither one of you is dead."

The hunters shared a scoff.

"This little shit's been insufferable, but," Horace wrapped his arm around Virgil. "He's all right."

Virgil struck him but wore a smile—the same smile that Horace had even after Virgil split his lip.

The Commander approved. "Astera is in your hands."

The hunters watched their Commander walk away.

"Are we hittin' up the Canteen before we leave for the investigation?" Horace asked Virgil.

"Same as ever," he replied as the two began for the Canteen. "But it's on me this time."

"Awe," Horace cooed. "You treatin' me to a date, Virgin, baby?"

Virgil let out a wry grin. "You've been with me long enough to know that I have higher standards than to date you."

The hunters boarded the lift.

"And you've been with me long enough to know that I don't," Horace flirted and winked at Virgil.

"You? Standards?" Virgil began. "I would never be so arrogant as to assume that you had any."

The hunters exited into the Canteen.

"And that, sweetheart, says more about you, than me and my exceptionally low standards of which you fit in quite generously." Horace challenged.

Virgil looked for a comeback but soon admitted defeat.

The hunters laughed together over it.

Virgil and Horace ate a grand meal of meats, pastas, breads and delectable fruits and confections. They shared an entire bottle of the hardest liquor in Astera and neither showed the effects of the alcohol—not even a blush or a single hiccup. After that, they prepared their equipment and inventories for the investigation and set off to the Ancient Forest.

"It's a little too calm today," Horace said as the men gathered Nergigante tracks and thorn samples.

Virgil hummed. "The air is eerie."

"I don't even hear birds," Horace added.

A softly pattering waterfall sounded in the distance and the ground trembled lightly.

"Here's signs of a turf war, too," Virgil approached the scratches and disturbed, near black soil.

"Between?" Horace approached.

Virgil picked up a chipped scale. "Nergigante and," Virgil paused as he sniffed some dirt. "I don't know."

"That's never a good sign," Horace commented.

Virgil erected and offered the unknown sample to his Scoutflies.

The Scoutflies turned colors from green to blue and left the cage on Virgil's belt.

"That's never a good sign, either," Virgil said.

The hunters followed the flies to several more tracks and chipped scales until they entered the area where there was little canopy shading the ground.

The Scoutflies sought after a puddle of gelatinous mucus.

"Who do we know that slobbers this much?" Horace asked and knelt by Virgil.

"Anjanath," Virgil said on one knee, too.

"Could be tempered," Horace added.

Virgil sniffed the mucus.

"Or a Fulgur—he's been sighted here," Horace continued.

"Maybe, but—" As Virgil said, the Scoutflies turned color again, but from blue to red and then took refuge in their cage.

Virgil and Horace stood up and looked around the area.

No large monster was around.

"Wait, are those Velkana tracks?" As soon as Horace asked, the Nergigante dived from the sky and slammed himself into the ground just proximal to the hunters.

Upon striking the ground, and causing a massive, subsequent tremor that knocked back the hunters, the Nergigante threw out his great wings and shot out needles.

Three spikes hit Virgil; two deflected by his armor and the last broke through his leggings, penetrating his meaty thigh.

Virgil cried out, but dislodged the spine with ease, for he—and Horace—had to jump to their feet to dodge another assault of the Nergigante's black bolts.

"You okay?" Horace hollered.

Virgil nodded and pushed on Horace to retreat so that they could withdraw their weapons. After each armed themselves with their respective blade, Virgil and Horace assailed the Nergigante to repel him.

The Nergigante hopped about the field, but the hunters kept between his legs—for the safest place for melee hunters was between a monster's feet.

Virgil focused on the hindlimbs, as Horace focused on the forelimbs.

Nergigante reared up and screamed.

Knowing that the Nergigante likely prepared another dive-bomb attack, the hunters barrel-rolled away from the bullseye.

As thought, the Nergigante leaped into the sky and bombarded the ground with another one-shot move.

Fortunately, the hunters anticipated it appropriately to be outside of the wide range of the attack.

"Hit me!" Virgil commanded Horace as the Nergigante came toward them.

Listening, Horace thwacked Virgil with his Great Sword and projected him in the air.

While airborne, Virgil readied his Switchaxe and swung down onto the Nergigante. He mounted the Elder Dragon Eater and jumped to his face, clinging onto his horn. With a knife, Virgil struck at the eyes of the Nergigante.

The Nergigante flinched but proceeded to thrash to attempt to throw off Virgil. The Nergigante ran to a nearby rock-face and rammed it.

Virgil hopped to the Nergigante's back for a moment, so that the Nergigante did not crush him against the wall. Virgil returned to the horn after the Nergigante staggered back and withdrew his Switchaxe to discharge an elemental burst.

The Nergigante toppled over after Virgil released his blast.

As the hunters wailed on the Nergigante, a substantial tremor startled them.

With the severed tail of a Silver Rathlos clamped between its crushing maw, a Savage Deviljho entered the area. With blazing vermilion eyes and a blood-red haze about his face, the Savage Deviljho vaulted over to the hunters and the fallen Nergigante. The Savage Deviljho swung the Silver Rathlos tail at the hunters and struck both men.

Virgil and Horace flew back tens of meters and rolled when they hit the ground.

Horace came to his feet in an instant, but Virgil only got up onto his elbows.

Though Horace's armor protected him from much of the impact from the Silver Rath tail, Virgil was not as fortunate. Since the Nergigante had disrupted the integrity of his gear, the strike from the Savage Deviljho shattered his defenses and embedded the Silver Rath's poisonous barbs into Virgil's thigh, near his groin.

Horace raced to his aid and picked up Virgil by putting Virgil's arm around his own neck. "I got you!" Horace reassured, supporting Virgil by the waist.

The Savage Deviljho gripped the Nergigante by the horn with his muscular foot and snapped it by rotational inertia.

Horace led Virgil by several frozen carcasses of small monsters and a sheet of frost—definitive signs that Velkana came to the Ancient Forest.

"Whore," Virgil murmured against Horace's nape. "I-I c-can't," he went limp and dropped, dragging Horace down with him.

"'Ey, 'ey!" Horace slapped Virgil's cheek. "Wake up, Virgin! I need you here with me!"

Virgil roused from his stupor, but only to lunge onto Horace, knocking both men away from the oncoming traffic of warring monsters.

The Nergigante and Savage Deviljho vehemently fought against the other, striving to overcome one another.

The hunters toppled down into a nest of cords and vines.

Horace landed on top of Virgil. "You with me?" Horace sat up and forced Virgil to raise, too.

Pale and riddled with beads of sweat, Virgil suffered from a dizzying nystagmus that derived from serious poisoning.

The Elder Dragon Eater and Savage Deviljho stomped about overhead.

"Drink up, Virgin," Horace force-fed Virgil an Antidote Potion to treat the poisoning from the Silver Rathlos tail.

Virgil vomited up the medicine.

Horace protected Virgil when another trample of the warring monsters threatened to break through to them. "You gotta keep this down," Horace searched in his pouch for Herbal Medicine. Once he found it, he crammed it into Virgil's mouth.

Virgil swallowed it but began retching.

"Please!" Horace clamped his hand across Virgil's mouth.

Virgil threw up and the vomitus spilled between Horace's fingers.

Hoarse, Virgil said, "Leave m-me; g-get to c-camp."

"Hunter first!" Horace screamed over the wailing of the large monsters.

"You," Virgil panted and pushed Horace by a weak hand to his chest. "First."

Horace noticed that the barbs of the Silver Rathlos created a toxic rash about Virgil's groin. "This'll hurt—sorry!" He said and ripped out the barbs.

Virgil gasped and moaned. "Leave!"

Horace shoved Virgil to his back and brought Virgil's thigh to his mouth to suck out the poison.

Virgil pushed on Horace's head. "Don't!" He slurred. "You'll," Virgil became winded while attempting to warn Horace. "You'll," he said and then fainted.

Horace spat out Virgil's tainted blood and slapped Virgil's face again. "Stay with me; stay with me!"

The Savage Deviljho's foot broke through to the hunters and exposed them to the heat of the turf war.

Horace gathered Virgil into his embrace again and dragged him along. "I need you with me!"

Virgil mustered up what little strength he had left to limp with the assistance of Horace.

"No slacking—come on, Virgil!" Horace hauled Virgil.

Virgil scrambled his words, but managed to say, "You s-said m-my n-name."

Horace grunted as the vibrating of the ground and the weight of Virgil's listlessness dragged on him. Horace took a knee, but then forced himself up. "Rub it in my face later!" he said, attempting to inspire Virgil.

Virgil, however, nodded off and on.

The Nergigante sped by the hunters, ignoring them as he passed.

The hunters staggered and Horace dropped Virgil.

In that same moment, the ceaselessly hungry Savage Deviljho struck Horace with his blunt snout.

Horace toppled far from Virgil.

With another great leap, the Savage Deviljho landed by Horace and then stomped on him.

Safe, but constrained between the Deviljho's dark green toes, Horace attempted to writhe free.

The Deviljho drooled onto Horace with that thick, stringy mucus, preparing to devour him.

Virgil shot a burst of Dragon Pods at the Savage Jho's snoot.

The Savage Jho faltered and pulled away from Horace.

Virgil bobbed his head and then fainted.

Horace scrambled over to Virgil and punched him in the jaw.

Virgil startled awake.

"Thanks for that!" Horace thanked Virgil for the save, despite treating him not so tenderly, but for good cause.

"Fuck you," Virgil spat as he and Horace began for safety again.

"Love you, too, baby," Horace said and led Virgil toward Astera.

Virgil weakened again.

"No, no!" Horace clashed heads with him. "Tell me—uh—tell me why Nergigante is here!"

Believing that he hallucinated rather than heard Horace correctly, Virgil slurred, "What?"

"Nergigante! Why's he here?"

"Uh," Virgil gulped. "'Cause Velkana's here?"

"Sounds right!" Horace said. "Why is she here?"

Virgil made no sense as he rambled.

"You gotta tell that to the researchers, not jus' me, babe," Horace kept up with the one-sided conversation to keep up Virgil as they neared the gates of Astera.

Other hunters of the Fifth Fleet came to the aid of Horace and Virgil.

"We've got an angry pickle on our tails," Horace said to the hunters as they noticed the Savage Deviljho.

The Fivers took arms and defended the gates of Astera.

Healers from the Fifth Fleet approached the hunters and assessed Virgil.

"He's poisoned," Horace said and fell to his knee.

The healers caught Horace and took Virgil from him.

Horace corrected his stance. "It was—uh—Silver Rathlos poison," he said between pants.

A healer scrutinized Horace, noticing the purpling veins about his bloodshot eyes. "You're poisoned, too."

"No," Horace objected. "I-I-I'm fine—I wasn't hit."

The Healer wiped some of Virgil's tainted blood from Horace's chin. "I need healing support over here!"

Horace fumbled with his words as a ringing in his ears grew loud.

The healer waved over others. "Get me a crash box, now!"

Horace wobbled and dropped to his hands and knees. His vision blurred and the last thing that Horace remembered before he fainted was the fading yet frequent touches of the healers.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After they recover from the Savage Deviljho's attack, Virgil and Horace reunite in Astera. Something has changed in their relationship and both men are clearly picking up on it. However, as things heat up between them as they banter in the bath, a Nergigante variant crashes the party.

Virgil came in and out of consciousness for several days, nearing a week. His memory of those days consisted of shadows and vague shapes with garbled sounds. He endured through high temperatures and intensive sweating until the toxin-induced fever finally broke. When Virgil was stable enough to stay alert, he awoke in his room. His arms bruised from the many catheters that the healers had placed to give intravenous fluids and drugs. With a dry mouth and his hair sticking to his tacky face, Virgil attempted to get out of bed, but fell out of it instead.

On the floor, Virgil moaned and swore under his breath.

"Easy, Fiver," a healer had heard the commotion and entered his room to assist him.

With a rasp in his voice, "I'm fine," he murmured.

The healer helped Virgil into a chair.

"What happened?" Virgil asked after sipping the water that the healer gave to him.

"You were badly poisoned by a Silver Rathlos."

Virgil furrowed his brow. "I don't remember fighting that."

"You didn't—a Savage Deviljho struck you with a Silver Rath tail that it likely defeated."

Virgil hummed. "I vaguely remember that."

"Look who decided to wake up from his beauty nap!" Into Virgil's room, came Horace. "A bit early in my opinion—could've used a few more days to clean up that ugly mug."

Horace dressed in traditional, leather garb rather than armor. Horace had rolled up his left long sleeve so that his forearm exposed, showing a medical wrap that put pressure on the site of a recent blood draw. Purple to yellow bruises surrounded that site in patches, suggesting that Horace underwent a similar therapy to Virgil.

Virgil smiled. "Why're you here?"

"Who do you think's been givin' you sponge baths?"

Virgil let out a small laugh due to slight fatigue.

"So, what's the prognosis?" Horace asked the healer. "Is he still a bitch?"

The healer snickered as he stood. "As expected, his memory's a bit clouded, but he's all fixed up—though, I advise against hunting for a few more days."

"Great!" Horace said. "I get to dote on my wife for a little longer!"

"I'm going to smother you in your sleep one of these days," Virgil threatened humorously as he nodded at the healer, who excused himself with a wave to the hunters.

"If you're smothering me in my sleep, then that means that you're in my bed, which is a win in my book," Horace continued.

"How am I already tired of you?" Virgil said and tried to stand.

Horace assisted him. "'Ey, you need to be nicer to me; I almost died, too, y'know."

Virgil squinted at Horace. "What happened?"

"Apparently, sucking out poisoned blood from a Silver Rath gash is a bad idea," he replied.

"I could've told you that," Virgil joked.

"You tried to," Horace said. "Because you love me," Horace tormented.

Virgil scoffed. "You and I have very different definitions of love."

"And you have really ratchet hair," Horace accused.

"Oh, excuse me," Virgil mocked.

"I forgive you," Horace said with a leer. "And because I forgive you, I'll help you wash it!" He ushered Virgil toward the bathroom.

"Whore, I am not bathing with you."

"Don't be modest—like I said, who do you think's been givin' your goat-smellin' hind end sponge baths?"

"I'm starting to think that you used your tongue rather than a sponge," Virgil remarked, though grinning.

Horace howled. "You _do_ remember somethin'!"

Virgil sat at the steps of the in-ground bath as he chuckled with no sound.

Horace turned on the knobs and tested the water for the appropriate temperature.

"Have I missed anything about our investigation while I was out?" Virgil asked and touched the water, too.

Horace began unbraiding Virgil's strands, removing bits of leaf litter, twigs and old, brittle ivy. "Nothin' really; Nergigante has been following Velkana around as she travels to different areas."

"He must be waiting for her to tolerate him," Virgil said.

"That's what the ecologists have been thinkin', but no one knows absolutely," as Horace said, he drew Virgil's head into his lap so that he could wet his hair with the water.

Virgil asked, "What happened with the Savage Deviljho?"

Horace said, "Fivers caught him—it took a bunch of them, though." Horace reached for shampoo and began lathering it in Virgil's hair.

"Did the ecologists find out anything abnormal about him?"

"Other than him being a complete ass, no," Horace replied, giving Virgil chills as he ran his fingers through his hair. "He's from around here."

Virgil said, "That's—"

"—Boring," the men said at the same time.

They also shared a smirk.

"Thanks, uh," Virgil began but he fumbled with his words as he shuttered as Horace caressed his neck. "For not leaving me behind," he said after clearing his throat.

Horace paused, noticing Virgil's uneasiness. "I will never leave you behind," Horace reassured with direct eye contact with Virgil.

Virgil lowered his eyes first.

"Are you," Horace returned to rinsing Virgil's hair and then began conditioning it. "Feelin' up to a bite to eat?"

Virgil said, "Only if it's your turn to pay."

Horace scoffed. "Anything for you, Virgin, baby."

"That's one thing that I remember!" Virgil sat up as Horace finished washing his hair. "You called me by name."

Horace retrieved a towel and threw it at Virgil's face. "Of course you remember that, conceited bastard."

"You're sweet on me," Virgil said, drying his hair. "Horace."

Horace faced Virgil and parted his lips to say something smart, but he stopped.

"That means, in Elder Dragon terms, that I get to fuck you, now, right? Like Nergigante and Velkana?" Virgil said sarcastically.

Horace cackled. "What?"

Virgil approached Horace and challenged him. "I'm serious—you're my Velkana 'cause you're tolerating me."

Horace rolled his tongue against his teeth. "You're cute." He turned away from Virgil and exited the bathroom.

Virgil followed him. "I'll wait—I'm patient."

Horace stopped in his tracks and faced Virgil. He bit his smirk—knowing exactly what Virgil meant by that—and then drew near to him. Rather than aver dominance by force, Horace contacted Virgil by a gentle touch. He brushed his hand along Virgil's jawline and then held him at the base of the neck.

Virgil attempted to back off.

Horace kept with him until he led Virgil against a wall. "There's a rather course line between governance and submissiveness, Virgil—yes, Nergigante may mount Velkana, but it's Velkana that decides when—or if—that happens."

With a new rash of chills that spread from Horace's light, yet firm touch, Virgil strained to level out the fluctuations in his respiration rate. He glanced between Horace's eyes and lips, ultimately failing to draw out a steady breath.

Unintelligible shouting from outside Virgil's room in Astera attracted the hunters' attention.

Over unspoken words, the hunters investigated the commotion.

An intrepid ecologist carried a wounded Fiver in his arms.

Horace and Virgil pushed through the crowd to get close to the ecologist and Fiver.

Great black spines impaled the Fiver at her left knee; though familiar, those black spines bore an unfamiliar opalescent sheen that neither hunter recognized.

"What happened?" Horace asked.

The intrepid ecologist set down the Fiver.

Healers came to the Fiver's aid as well.

"There's a second Nergigante," the Fiver said between gasps.

"This is no ordinary Nergigante," the intrepid ecologist added.

Virgil asked, "A variant?"

More healers gathered about the injured Fiver and lifted her onto a stretcher.

The Commander entered the gathering. "Yes, our Sapphire Star has been seeing such spines out on assignments but never encountered the Elder." The Commander patted the wounded Fiver on the shoulder. "Rest now and heal up."

The healers took away the maimed Fiver.

"Commander," Virgil addressed. "The variant's likely here for Velkana."

"My thoughts exactly," he replied.

"We'll set out on an investigation immediately," Virgil asserted.

"No, we won't," Horace interjected. "You're still recovering."

"We're at the cusp of completing our investigation," Virgil said. "We cannot lose this lead."

"Let the Sapphire Star handle this," Horace argued.

"The Sapphire Star's not here," Virgil replied. "We are."

"I'll deploy a band of your fellow Fivers to support you," the Commander said. "I know how passionate hunters are about the hunt, so I won't come between you and your mission. But you are one of our top, most reliable Fivers, Virgil, so do not engage the Elder Dragon Eater—either of them, understood?"

Virgil nodded.

"Horace—"

"—I will, sir," Horace cut off the Commander, understanding by context, alone, to protect Virgil.

The Commander crossed his arms and smiled, approving with a nod. "Godspeed."

Horace assisted Virgil with dressing in new armor that he had crafted with materials that he and his squad gathered during Virgil's _nap._ The armor had pieces from Barioth, Nargacuga, Glavenus and Tigrex. The men snagged a quick bite to eat and ate it on the ride to the Elder's Recess.

"Split up into teams of at least two or three and investigate the Recess for the Nergigante variant," Virgil commanded his squad, which consisted of Dante, Minerva and a few others.

"Do the same," Horace said to his squad of Augustus, Roman and additional Fivers. "Signal for help with an SOS flare if you run into trouble—and do not engage the variant without us."

"Horace and I will track the other Nergigante," Virgil said. "If you encounter him by chance, do not slay him."

The band of Fivers dispatched into the Elder's Recess.

Horace gathered several tracks from the Nergigante.

Virgil approached a patch of discarded spines—a mix of black spikes and blue-black splinters. "They must be fighting each other."

"Who?" Horace asked as he came over.

"The Nergigantes."

Horace hummed. "It's strange to have an Elder Dragon and its variant in the same locale."

"Nothing about this investigation has been standard," Virgil said as he followed his blue Scoutflies.

As the hunters entered a new area, they took notice to frozen carcasses of many small monsters and a Dodogama. They approached it to see evidence of predation, especially about the inguinal region.

"Velkana's sure got some specific cravings," Horace commented.

Virgil gathered samples of Velkana's ice from the body of the Dodogama.

Velkana's cry alerted the hunters.

Horace offered Velkana's ice crystals to his Scoutflies.

The Scoutflies changed their target and stalked the Velkana.

Virgil and Horace chased after the flies until they led them to her.

Velkana stood off against the broken-horned Nergigante.

The hunters took cover behind the mercury-hued crystals as they watched them.

Velkana provocatively strutted about him.

The Nergigante raised up his head and propped out his regal chest as he approached her.

Velkana stopped and allowed the Nergigante to greet her. She flicked her tail back and forth as the Nergigante moved to her hind.

As before, the Nergigante demonstrated the Flehmens Response, but on vaginal excretions, rather than urine.

With a playful thwack of her tail, Velkana toyed with the Nergigante.

In reply, the Nergigante grunted and placed his forepaw on her and applied pressure over her pelvis.

Assuming lumbar lordosis, Velkana seemingly welcomed the Nergigante.

The Nergigante let up on her back and then laid his head in the same place before mounting her.

Someone in the distance shot an SOS flare.

"Shit," Horace whispered as he took notice. "Someone must have spotted the variant."

Another SOS flare lit up the sky in a closer location.

"The Hell?" Virgil said.

Two more SOS flares signaled closer to Horace and Virgil.

And a final SOS flare fired in the area just next to the hunters and the Elders.

The Scoutflies at both hunters' hips turned red.

From the tormented sky came the variant of Nergigante. It crashed down onto the broken-horned Nergigante and Velkana. Upon impact, it expelled those unique quills—some hit the crystal that the hunters hid behind and one broke through the crystal completely.

The Velkana slipped free from the bundle of Nergigantes and screeched at them.

The Nergigante variant bit down on the wing of the broken-horned Nergigante and dislocated it.

The broken-horned Nergigante cried out and retaliated. It snapped at the variant and locked his jaw like a bear trap on the variant's forepaw.

The variant dismounted, only to clash horns with its counterpart.

Unequal in number of horns and strength, the broken-horned Nergigante toppled over.

His variant severed his tail by a nasty chomp.

As the broken-horned, half-tailed Nergigante hopped up and recoiled from the sudden pain, it took no time to recover before leaping onto his variant.

The Velkana shrieked and spat several streaks of icy breath at the Nergigantes.

They fell back from one another and attempted to shake off the frost on their faces.

Slowly, and by groups of two or three, the other Fivers came into the area.

Virgil and Horace signaled for them to stand back and take cover at the same time.

The Velkana lowered her voice and summoned a rainfall of icicles by her roar.

Forced to move, the hunters rolled and jumped out of the way of the many plummeting pikes.

The variant endured a few jagged icicles, which elicited his fury. He struck his counterpart by the crown, chipping off the tip of the Nergigante's remaining horn.

As the Nergigante staggered from the strike, his variant mounted him.

The variant peeled back the Nergigante's scales as he gripped his counterpart by the scruff of the neck to keep him submissive. While growling, he raped the broken-horned, half-tailed Nergigante.

Velkana calmed and stood witness to the display of dominance.

"He'll slay him!" Virgil readied his Clutch Claw.

"Virgil!" Horace attempted to grab him.

Virgil, however, already shot his Clutch Claw and grappled onto the face of the variant.

"Fuck, Virgil!" Horace broke cover and raced toward the Elders.

Virgil punched the variant in the eye and staggered him.

The original Nergigante crawled out from beneath his variant.

Virgil beat the variant until he faced a wall. Virgil unleashed a Flinch Shot.

Rather than topple, the variant simply dazed for a moment after knocking into a wall.

"We got a limper!" Horace informed the squads as the broken-horned, half-tailed Nergigante whimpered and hobbled away.

Velkana belted and wiped the field of hunters by casting a breath of spite along the horizon.

Horace tackled Virgil and pushed him out of the way of Velkana's attack.

Great mounds of uneven ice formed throughout the area and darkened the atmosphere with a blue tinge.

The Nergigante variant and Velkana circled one another. At the same time, both Elders rose into the air and spiraled about each other in a dance not too dissimilar to the ballet of Teostra and Lunastra.

Snowflakes materialized as the pair bonded and refracted the lowly light in the area.

Horace gripped Virgil by the forearm and dragged him back. "Fall back!" Horace commanded the squads, cautious that the dance may end with an ultimate and devastating move.

The hunters fled the area as Velkana and the Nergigante variant gripped one another and plummeted back to the earth. Upon striking the ground, the pair sent out a staggering tremble.

Velkana called forth another fall of icicles as the variant bared down on her.

The variant mounted Velkana and flung out both wings, unleashing a flurry of spikes to accompany Velkana's snowstorm. Without interruption, the Nergigante variant copulated with Velkana. He gnawed at her nape, though he never broke through her armor.

The temperature in the area dropped more degrees and the cerulean tinge in the air turned to a darker, Stygian blue.

A rash of frost raced across Velkana's body as she mated the variant. The rush of cold sharpened her features, forming deadly spires of ice over her. Through her coronation in hoarfrost, Velkana was crowned queen.

The Nergigante variant dismounted Velkana when her rime spread to him and threatened to flash freeze him.

Completely donned in her magical armor, Velkana took to the sky and left the locale in the direction of Seliana.

The Nergigante variant, too, disappeared above the clouds.

Horace brought down his eyes from the sky, only to find that Virgil was not at his side. "Virgil?"

"I think that he left to track the other Nergigante," one of his squad members replied.

Horace erupted into a sprint. "The fuck, Virgil?" He growled. While running, Horace commanded that his Scoutflies seek out the Nergigante, so that he could trail Virgil.

The Scoutflies led Horace to the Nergigante's nest.

Virgil examined the slumbering Nergigante.

Horace waved his arms at Virgil to catch his attention.

Virgil moved to the other side of the Nergigante, never noticing Horace.

Under his breath, Horace cursed Virgil's name and then he crouched down to sneak closer. As he moved, however, he stepped on a crystal and it made a sound that echoed throughout the nest.

The Nergigante awoke in an instant and screamed.

Horace sped toward the Elder.

The Elder Dragon Eater leaped into the air.

Virgil and Horace saw each other for but a moment before the Nergigante dive-bombed between them and threw them back.

Horace recovered in an instant and quickly placed two Mega Barrel Bombs by the wall. Thereafter, he grappled onto the back of the Nergigante and hopped to his shattered crown. He jabbed the Nergigante, turning it to face the spread of bombs, and released a Flinch Shot from his Slinger.

The Nergigante collided into the bombs and then the wall.

The explosion sent a splinter up the crystalline rock-face.

The Nergigante slumped to the ground, dead upon impact.

"The fuck were you thinking?" Virgil grabbed Horace by the collar. "Our objective wasn't to slay him!"

"What were _you_ thinking?" Horace growled back. "You're fucking injured! You could've died!"

"I can handle myself!" Virgil spat in Horace's face before striking him.

A hefty tremble staggered the hunters. The fractured wall opened like a mouth and the surrounding area began caving in.

The ground swallowed the carcass of the Nergigante.

Crystals and walls began imploding.

The hunters fled the nest, but the destruction followed them.

The entire area that the Nergigante made available to the Commission when they first encountered the Elder Dragon Eater deconstructed.

Virgil and Horace barely escaped the area before it walled off entirely with fallen crystals and debris.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the death of the Nergigante, a rift grows between Virgil and Horace. While Virgil distances himself from Horace, Horace is too stubborn to let him pout. With the tension that has been building steadily throughout their journey together, both hunters are ready to express their true feelings for one another in the only way that they know how to: through their fists.

In the special arena, Virgil faced off against an Acidic Glavenus by himself.

The Acidic Glavenus swung its crystallized tail like a blade in a guillotine.

Virgil evasively rolled before it struck him.

But a moment later, the Acidic Glavenus brought down its sulfur-coated tail again.

Though Virgil escaped another fate of beheading, he suffered a minor defense down by the splatter of the Acidic Glavenus' corrosive fluid onto his breast-mail.

The Acidic Glavenus bit its tail and grinded its teeth along the ridge of the blade. Upon reaching the tip of its tail, the Acidic Glavenus unleashed a broad, sweeping spin, that pushed back Virgil.

Brandishing his Switchaxe in his preferred mode, Axe mode, Virgil rushed between the large monster's legs and attacked both feet with a wide-ranged, repeated sway.

The Acidic Glavenus toppled over.

Virgil rolled to the monster's tail and switched from Axe mode to Sword mode for severing. By a few strikes, Virgil sheared off a part of the large monster's primary weapon.

The amputated piece spiraled in the air until it landed in the Special Arena's sandy floor next to the Dragonator like a sword to be pulled from stone.

The Acidic Glavenus recoiled from the severance and scrambled to its feet. With dense strands of goopy, caustic saliva dribbling from between its slightly agape lips, the Acidic Glavenus arched its back and panted.

Virgil rushed between the spread of the large monster's bipedal hindlimbs and laid down a Shock Trap.

Once activated, the Shock Trap stunned the Acidic Glavenus.

Virgil threw down three Tranq Bombs.

The Acidic Glavenus succumbed to the anesthetic drugs and dropped to the ground. As it snored, the large monster blew acerbic bubbles from its snoot.

Virgil wiped the sweat from his brow and spat in the sand.

"It's been some time since I saw you solo anything, Virgin," from atop the ledge, called out Horace. "The first time that I ever heard your name was because the Commander was reaming you out for goin' on a Kulve Taroth Siege by yourself."

Virgil scoffed and shook his head, ignoring Horace.

Horace hopped down into the arena. "When are you gonna stop pouting, babe? It's been like two weeks."

"I've told you," Virgil sheathed his weapon. "That we're good."

"You've been avoiding me," Horace said. "More than usual and I'm startin' to get really lonely."

Virgil sighed.

"I know that I cost us the investigation. And, yeah, maybe the ecologists lost out on some new information on Elders, but the New World's been quiet and safe since I slayed Nergigante—by accident, remember."

"Whatever happened with Velkana and the abnormal behavior of the males that courted her may not happen again for hundreds of years, or more. We missed out on a discovery of a lifetime. We lost the body of the Nergigante and his variant has not been sighted since—we may never discover where they came from."

"It wasn't a complete failure—we discovered that Velkana caused the males' abnormal behavior—that she fucked the victor to don in a powerful armor," Horace attempted to reason with Virgil. "Not to mention that I saved your life, Virgin—the missed opportunity would have been no different than now for you if Nergigante killed you."

"I was in no danger, Whore," Virgil replied.

"All right, Virgin," Horace said as he began disrobing from his protective gear. "I understand."

"What are you doing?" With a wrinkled nose and brow, Virgil asked.

Horace threw down his Great Sword and unstrapped his gauntlets.

"Whore—"

Horace cut off Virgil's words by his knuckles.

Virgil faltered and hollered, "The fuck did you do that—"

Again, Horace cut short his words by a strike to the mouth.

Rather than fumble after Horace punched him, Virgil lunged on Horace and beat his face.

Horace caught Virgil's fist and headbutted him, knocking Virgil from his lap.

Virgil dazed, but as he noticed that Horace came toward him, he hopped up and took offense. He landed several hits on Horace before kneeing him in the abdomen.

Horace, nursing his sour stomach with one hand, used the other to stagger Virgil by a strike to the eye.

Virgil withstood it and retaliated by wailing on Horace without letting up.

Horace ate fistful after fistful by the time that he finally parried Virgil. Upon tripping up Virgil, Horace snatched Virgil by the base of his fishtail braid and yanked back his head.

Defending himself, Virgil gripped Horace by the shoulder, wrapping his other arm around Horace's bicep, and thrusted, subsequently prying off Horace's hand in his hair.

The hunters stumbled from one another.

Given the opening, Horace grabbed Virgil by the broad of his shoulders and steadied him for repeated blows to the stomach with his knee.

Like the Acidic Glavenus, Virgil bended over and panted, winded, after Horace discarded him by a shove. However, Virgil, embodying the brute monster still, enraged and tackled Horace to the ground. Virgil split Horace's lip with his knuckles and then stood over him to stomp on Horace's chin.

Horace endured plenty of kicks prior to snatching Virgil by the point of Achilles' weakness. Horace twisted Virgil's ankle and threw him off himself. While Virgil faltered and caught himself on his elbows and knees, Horace came from behind and forced Virgil's face into the sand.

The grains stuck to Virgil's tacky skin.

Horace bound Virgil's hand to his back. "'Cause," Horace slurred between gasps. "The only time that you listen to me is when you're—"

Virgil broke free from Horace and spoke in only exclamations and grunts. Virgil turn on Horace and fed him his cracked, bloody fists.

Horace fought the feeling of fainting harder than he fought Virgil. Paradoxically, the hits that Virgil landed on him kept him roused. As Horace lost his sense of smell due to facial inflammation, he clutched Virgil by the armor and lifted him from his lap. While growling as he continued to direct Virgil, Horace led Virgil toward the slumbering Acidic Glavenus.

Virgil stumbled over the snout of the large monster as he back-stepped.

Horace lifted Virgil from his ass and forced him to continue retreating.

Again, Virgil staggered as he tripped over the Acidic Glavenus' tail, but Horace steadied him.

Virgil clashed with the wall as Horace pressed his back to it. Virgil struggled, but Horace locked him in place by crossing his chest with his exposed forearm.

"Fuck, you're so bratty," Horace hissed between gritted teeth and then spat the blood from his mouth.

While trembling from the heat of the battle and expressing frequent grimaces, Virgil snarled, "What do you want from me?"

Horace slammed his forehead against Virgil's forehead and they shared blood. "I want—I want," Horace gasped. The mixed stream of their blood dripped down the bridge of Horace's nose. "You—" Horace searched for the appropriate words to finish his thought, but he struggled to think through his mental torpor.

Virgil writhed against Horace.

Horace raised his head and then smashed Virgil's back against the wall a few times to weaken him.

Virgil bowed back his head and flashed a bloodied smile. "Too—" Virgil gagged slightly as he spoke. He smacked his lips before rigidly swallowing. "I want," he slumped forward his head and bobbed it as he gazed with half-moon eyes at Horace. "You."

Horace clutched Virgil at the chin and turned his head to the side at an oblique angle.

Virgil maintained his drunken grin as he relaxed his guard.

Horace slipped between Virgil's legs and pressed up against him.

Virgil faced Horace, so that his lower lip rested on Horace's thumb.

Horace parted his lips further and kissed Virgil.

Virgil tensed up again.

Horace ran his fingers into Virgil's braid and gripped him by it.

Easing the furrow in his brow, Virgil let out a guttural gasp, lowering, too, his shoulders.

Horace wrapped his arm around Virgil's waist and pulled him from the wall, into his embrace.

Loosely laying his forearms on Horace's shoulders, Virgil crossed his hands at the wrist behind Horace's head.

The red that drew from Virgil's broken skin dripped down his fingers.

By steadfast work, Horace unlaced, unlatched and unbuttoned the many secures of Virgil's armor.

The heavy metals dented the sand as they hit the ground.

Returning the favor, Virgil took off what armor remained between him and Horace's skin.

Down to their streamline, leather undergarments, the hunters competed over a game of tongues. Together, they tumbled over the Acidic Glavenus. They laughed.

Straddling Horace, Virgil nipped at the corner of Horace's lip.

In reply, Horace slipped his hand beneath the back of Virgil's shirt.

Virgil parted lips with Horace for a moment as he chilled to the touch.

Inspired by the sight, Horace began kissing along Virgil's nape and neck. Soon, he took off Virgil's undershirt and chucked it aside.

Taking after Horace, Virgil slipped his hands under Horace's shirt and pulled it over his head. Upon revealing Horace's chest, Virgil caressed the healed over scar that remained from their clash with the Ebony Odogaron.

Horace chuckled and shoved Virgil to his bare back.

Virgil turned his head to the side as he bit his lip and lowered his eyebrows.

Drawing between Virgil's thighs, Horace returned Virgil's gaze to him with a grab to the chin.

Virgil wound his legs about Horace's waist, hung his arms around his nape and pulled Horace into a kiss.

Horace grinded against Virgil.

Virgil arched his back slightly and grunted between gritted teeth.

Horace grabbed for the buttons of Virgil's trousers and popped them from their holes.

Feeling Horace draw near his groin, Virgil gripped Horace's hand. "Wait," he said between pants.

Horace offered Virgil a wicked leer. "Me first, then," he pulled back from Virgil, stood up and took off his breeches.

Virgil tangled his eyes in Horace's lush, golden pubic hair that curled as picturesque as the swirls of a Hellenistic statue's stony hair. The blond colored a slight darker, burnished hue than the hair at Horace's crown, but had the same gold reflect as his crown. Glancing from Horace's uncircumcised cock to his eyes, Virgil rolled his tongue along his teeth. "I'm okay with this," he purred.

Horace scoffed and scooped up Virgil. He brought Virgil's thigh against his hip and kissed him while sinking his hand into Virgil's pants.

Virgil gasped when Horace clasped his erection—too, uncircumcised.

Horace teased him with light to moderate pressure as he stroked him.

Burying his nose in Horace's nape, Virgil moaned and tightened up.

Charmed, Horace dropped Virgil to his back again and reached inside his inventory pouch that laid just overhead, right by the splintered toenails of the Acidic Glavenus. By the time that Virgil took notice to Horace digging around in his inventory pouch, Horace already retrieved the jar of Thick Summoner Jelly.

"Why did you bring that?" Virgil asked within a deep-throated chuckle.

Horace set down the jar and tugged on Virgil's loosened trousers, bringing them down over his hips. "Don't worry about that," he flirted.

"You're not going to—"

Horace cut off Virgil. "—Bet your ass that I am," as he said he undressed Virgil completely; although, he struggled a bit when Virgil's breeches caught at his left ankle for a moment. "If it's good for the Ancient Tree, it's good for us."

Virgil let out a laugh from the stomach.

Horace traced his gaze along Virgil's physique like a drop of water that wove down his chest, to his stomach, hips and legs. He, too, admired Virgil's pubic hair, especially since the dark brown tinge starkly contrasted his own. Horace found it easy to lose himself in the thick jungle that continued down Virgil's legs, up his lower abdomen and reappeared only at his forearms. Horace hovered over Virgil and touched his cheek.

With all the fighting, foolery—and soon fuckery—Virgil blushed.

Horace then lubricated his middle and ring finger and traced his fingers along Virgil's perineum.

Virgil jolted and increased his respiratory rate.

Horace leered as he inserted them into Virgil. "Don't tense up, baby," he said as Virgil clenched around his fingers.

"Fuck you," Virgil spat, though he shared a smile with Horace.

"That's the point," Horace teased as he massaged him.

Virgil yanked Horace by the nape so that they nearly kissed. "You're too gentle, Horace; I'm a hunter—or did you forget that?"

Horace scoffed. "I thought that you were a gentleman when loving."

"Not with you."

Horace clicked his tongue. "Understood," as he said he retracted his fingers and replaced them with his erection.

Virgil groaned as if struck down by a large monster.

Grunting, Horace said, "Now you're _really_ clenchin'."

While somewhat whimpering, Virgil retorted, "I've shit bigger turds than the size of your dick."

"Fuckin' ass," Horace grinned as he made Virgil cry out, invalidating Virgil's claim.

Virgil made light sounds as he batted his eyelashes and fluttered his eyelids.

Desiring more, Horace aimed to hear Virgil whine. He wrapped his fingers about Virgil's penis and began stimulating it.

Virgil parted his lips and panted—another sight of extreme pleasure for Horace.

With his free hand, Horace laced fingers with Virgil and buried their hands into a bit of sand.

Virgil squeezed Horace's hand—the gentlest gesture that the two hunters ever shared.

Horace lowered his head and kissed Virgil.

Virgil unlaced their fingers to tighten his arms around Horace's neck, deepening their kisses with a hug.

This time, Horace parted lips to display his indulgence with a moan. He huffed and scrunched his nose from a grimace, not of pain, but of something like electric shocks from pure delight. Although kissing Virgil aroused Horace to the point that he may ejaculate, he risked it anyway to savor his tongue—proving that, while Horace was more dominant than Virgil, he was the most sentimental of the two.

Quivering, Virgil gutturalized his increasingly frequent groans.

"Ah, shit, ah, shit" Horace parted lips with Virgil to utter. "Ah, shit," he laid his head on Virgil's shoulder as he felt his orgasm coming on.

Virgil leaned his head on Horace's head. "Me, too, Whore; me, too."

By that affirmation, Horace reached his limit and gritted his teeth while his motions became erratic and rough.

The sudden change in pace evoked Virgil's orgasm—his ejaculate splattered against Horace's abdomen, before dripping back onto Virgil.

Horace collapsed on Virgil and simply embraced him while the hunters panted and moaned.

Though Virgil's tremors became violent, he made an effort to clinch to Horace.

Horace raised his head and kissed Virgil on the forehead. "I'm gonna pull out, okay?"

Virgil just nodded. As Horace backed out of Virgil, Virgil jolted and let out a quick shout.

"You okay?" Horace asked.

Virgil swallowed and answered with a murmur, "Yeah."

Horace took notice of the strands of seminal fluid and semen on Virgil. Rather than reach for a cloth to wipe it off, Horace licked it off.

Virgil startled and grunted, "The fuck, Whore?"

Horace chuckled and wiped the rest of what was on his own stomach with his finger and then slurped it up. "I like it."

Virgil scoffed.

Horace slumped down next to Virgil. "I'm ready for a nap."

Virgil sat up by using Horace as assistance. "Someone's going to come for the Acidic Glavenus and have a lot of questions if we're all sleeping together, naked, like we just had a big orgy."

"I mean," Horace sat up, too. "Let them think that—'s not too far off the truth."

They laughed together.

Horace pushed away the strands of Virgil's hair that stuck to his forehead. "Let's go back to camp, then; we can sleep there."

Virgil agreed, but as he attempted to stand, he dropped to his knees. "Fuck me," he grimaced.

Horace steadied him at the waist. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Virgil replied. "My legs feel like jelly and my ass and back hurt." Virgil inhaled sharply and then tightened his hand around Horace's wrist. "The fuck?" He whined.

Horace's semen and some Thick Summoner's Jelly drizzled down Virgil's inner thighs.

Virgil groaned. "Never felt that before."

"That's hot," Horace lit up and leered as he caressed Virgil's thigh.

"Don't eat that, please," Virgil said.

Horace sniggered. "It's mine—that'd be gross if I did that."

Virgil glared at Horace. "You're fucked up."

Horace winked at him. "Sit tight, love," Horace said and helped Virgil to get seated. "I'll clean up our shit."

Virgil nodded and waved as Horace stood up to tidy.

"Y'know," Horace began as he gathered their equipment. "You are my first."

"Really?" Virgil pinged.

Horace howled. "Don't act so surprised—the only thing whorish about me is your nickname for me."

Virgil smiled. "Your nickname is an expression of endearment."

"Eat shit," Horace replied with a smile. "I did fuck around with some women, but I never had sex with any of them."

"How come?"

Horace hummed. "Never felt right—never trusted them enough, I suppose."

"I didn't peg you for a little bitch," Virgil teased.

Horace threw a gauntlet at Virgil.

It hit Virgil's back.

He gasped and snickered. "I trust you, too, Horace."

Touched that Virgil picked up on the sentiment, Horace said, "Now you're stuck with me."

Virgil admired Horace's ass as he bended over to pick up his Slinger. "You, too."

Horace faced Virgil and they shared a tender moment.

However, the hunters heard chatter in the distance.

"Fuck it!" Horace threw down the gear. "We'll just say that the Acidic Glavenus slathered us in acid and we had to hurry up, disrobe and jump into the nearest pond!" As he said, he scrambled to Virgil and supported him enough to get the hell out of there—though, neither Virgil nor Horace contained their cackles. Horace managed to equip his Slinger over his bare skin and used it on the hitching post.

The line delivered the hunters to camp, where both men took out spare garments from the inventory box.

Horace set Virgil on the bed as he dug around the inventory box.

Virgil's stomach growled. "Oh, I could eat a fucking whole-ass Rathlos tail."

"I actually have a really great recipe for that!" Horace exclaimed. "My momma was a handler for my dad before they got together."

"That explains a lot about your raunchy ass," Virgil said and laughed. "'Cause that's very frowned upon."

Horace scoffed. "Only if the Guild finds out about it," Horace gathered ingredients for their meal.

"Did the Guild ever find out?"

Horace scoffed. "When my mom could no longer blame the size of her stomach on gluttony."

The call of a Wingdrake caught the hunters' attention. They peered out of the tent and saw the Commander fly in on the small, fanged monster.

"Sir?" Horace set down the ingredients.

"Glad that I found you two," the Commander entered the tent. "Just in time."

"For what?" Virgil asked.

The Commander set his hands on his hips and asserted, "Our Sapphire Star needs you."


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil and Horace meet up with the Sapphire Star to fend off Velkana from Seliana. Upon a somewhat successful repel, the boys return to Seliana for a night of booze and foolery; however, plans suddenly change while Virgil and Horace cozy up to one another.

While on Wingdrakes to Seliana, the Commander debriefed Virgil, Horace and a slew of other Fivers. "This is the defense of Seliana. Velkana has closed in on Seliana, but we've prepared for her. Our first line of defense is the barricade. Velkana will eventually break through this, but it is your job to assist the Sapphire Star in prolonging that as humanly possible. We need to buy time for the Commission to ready the Dragonrazer. You may fend off Velkana by shear force, or use of the artillery stations, which are located to the south and west of the barricade."

Virgil and Horace handed off potions, Slinger ammo and other essentials to each other while hooked to their Wingdrakes.

"Our second defense, and stage two of the battle, is the fueling and subsequent firing of the Dragonrazer. Once Velkana destroys the barricade, we will bind her, priming her for a shot from the Dragonrazer. Our goal is to distract Velkana while the Sapphire Star loads two fuel cells in the Dragonrazer and then activates it. Understood?"

The hunters, dressed in garb resistant to Seliana's cold, bitter breath, agreed over grunts.

Soon after Seliana appeared on the horizon, the Wingdrakes deposited the hunters at the campsite just adjacent to the barricade. Already, the air filled with shouts from the Commission, Velkana's screams and the high-pitched pings and pongs of metal bending to the whim of Velkana.

Horace halted Virgil as he went toward the arena with the other Fivers by a grab to the shoulder. "Virgil," he said.

Virgil furrowed his brow at Horace. "I'll be fine, okay?"

"That's not it," Horace said and snatched Virgil by the jawline. He yanked Virgil into a deep kiss.

Virgil startled first, but then returned the kiss with a smile.

Horace parted lips with Virgil and leered. "We got this—we're a team."

"Unfortunately," Virgil teased and slapped Horace's shoulder.

With that, Virgil and Horace rushed to aid the Sapphire Star.

The field littered with mounds of mishappened ice stacks.

Long-ranged hunters collected behind those piles and shot at Velkana.

Other supporting hunters manned all Ballista along the periphery.

The Sapphire Star led the battle with an almost transcended halo that reflected off their helmet from the rays of a setting, golden sun.

Virgil and Horace rushed to the side of their Sapphire Star.

Using a stunted pillar of ice, Virgil leaped onto Velkana and mounted her. He hopped to her windswept crown and stabbed about her eyes.

In an enraged mode, unable to be flinched with a shot, Velkana thrashed about, trying to dislodge the pestering hunter.

Virgil endured and unleashed an elemental burst that packed extra impact for Virgil's Switchaxe comprised of Brachydios materials.

Velkana toppled over.

The Sapphire Star, Horace, Virgil and countless other hunters wailed on Velkana.

Velkana recovered faster than usual due to her heightened anger and cleared the immediate area of the hunters that assailed her by a wide-sweeping and spiraling tail-whip.

Virgil shared a Mega Potion with Horace as they fell back after they regained themselves from the blow.

Velkana spat a frigid breath of mostly jagged ice shards at the barrier.

Made brittle by Velkana's spiteful kiss, the barrier shattered at the center upon her tail-strike.

"Sapphire Star!" Horace addressed from afar. "Do your thing—we got this!"

The Sapphire Star nodded and saluted, disappearing behind the barrier.

The Commission had not finished preparing the Dragonrazer, but the Sapphire Star offered assistance to expedite the process.

Virgil and Horace knew to delay Velkana; they brought down their heavy blades and drew her aggravation.

Velkana struck at the hunters with her favorite crystalline pike in a repeated assault. Successful, unfortunately, Velkana swatted away Virgil and then prepared to impale Horace.

Horace crossed his body with his Great Sword and blocked the hit. However, his blade fractured and the integrity severely diminished.

Velkana, too, suffered the consequence of her wrath; upon the contact with Horace's Great Sword, her tail-edge fractured off and imbedded the snowy crust. Velkana shrieked and backed off. She hunched over and panted; her tacky drool dribbled over her cracked lips.

Hunters at the Ballista showered Velkana in a flurry of many ammos.

Virgil scrambled to Horace and snapped open a Dust of Life.

The strong healing aid enveloped Horace and all surrounding hunters with a cloud that rejuvenated them.

Velkana screeched and summoned a storm of sickles above the hunters.

Most hunters switched from offensive to defensive and evaded the solid rain by rolls and taking cover.

Velkana rose into the sky and blotted out the remaining rays of the sun, turning the field bluish gray. She targeted hunters and sniped them by accurate shots of breath.

New towers of hoarfrost formed, shattering the old heaps that softened.

Velkana faced the barrier and attached to it. She rattled the gate and crushed the malleable metals in her clawed paws.

Hunters all around cast grapples and lines onto Velkana. With a combined force, the Commission pulled down Velkana and bound her by ropes.

Velkana thrashed and reared up.

Lines snapped and the hunters' hold weakened rapidly.

Like using a razor, Velkana cut the tassels with her sharp breath and freed herself. Prying open a hole, Velkana scuttled through the gates as if seeking out the Sapphire Star—her primary antagonist—by scent, alone.

The hunters, including Virgil and Horace, began pouring over to the other side with Velkana.

Velkana found the Sapphire Star and blew frost at them.

Horace readied his Clutch Claw and clamped down on Velkana's muzzle, subsequently cutting off her gaseous blasts. Grappling onto her, Horace beat her snoot until she faced a solid wall and then unleashed his Slinger ammo onto her.

She flinched and knocked into the wall, thus tumbling over. With ruined royal armor, Velkana became especially vulnerable to the Commission's advances.

Virgil supported the Sapphire Star with Hardshell Powder, Demon Powder and a mist of Lifepowder, boosting their overall stats and strength. Too, Virgil helped carry the second fuel cell to the Dragonrazer, lessening the burden and quickening the process.

Velkana found her feet and thwacked the hunters around her with another tailspin.

Virgil and the Sapphire Star loaded the Dragonrazer.

With increased hostility toward the Sapphire Star, Velkana took to the sky and searched for them. Her malice toward the Sapphire Star primed her in the perfect position for the Commission to bind her before the Dragonrazer.

Using braided wires and reinforced ropes, the Commission trapped Velkana for the second time.

The Sapphire Star triggered the Dragonrazer.

The weapon fired a pointed projectile into Velkana's proud breast.

Velkana cried out and reared up, but her powerful breastplate protected her from sudden death.

The Dragonrazer's projectile fell off Velkana.

Calmed by the impact, Velkana growled as she glared at the Commission with a lowered head. Backing off, Velkana retreated to the sky.

Virgil and Horace watched as Velkana faded into the clouds.

The Commander and Field Team Leader shared a moment to chat before the Field Team Leader addressed the hunters.

"Everyone, good work today," he projected his voice over the frequent murmurs of the Commission. "Listen up! We managed to repel the Velkana, but we have no idea if or when it will strike again. We need to move fast. Its nest is in the depths of the Hinterlands, so I say: let's bring the fight to it!"

Hunters rallied and cheered.

Horace noticed that Virgil left his side to investigate the severed part of Velkana's tail.

"What is it, Virgil?" Kneeling by Virgil, Horace asked as he plucked out the crystals from Virgil's hair.

Virgil collected freeze-dried samples from the shard. "I think that this might be semen from the Nergigante variant—and some vaginal excretions from Velkana that caked here on the day that they copulated."

Horace hummed. "Could entertain the ecologists—or at least appease them."

"Hunters," the Commander approached them.

Virgil and Horace erected, saying, "Sir?"

He grabbed Virgil and Horace by their shoulders. "Enjoy the bosom of Seliana tonight. Tomorrow, we'll stand against the Queen of Spite and dethrone her."

Seliana transformed from a quaint and modestly bustling base to a bloated belly that required the unbuttoning of breeches to accommodate the increased girth.

Virgil and Horace reunited with their squad members and broke bread over past stories of hunts and mishaps.

Over the commotion of music, conversation and dancing, Horace shouted, "Virgin, will you help me carry another round to the table?"

Virgil threw back the remaining beer in his tankard before replying, "Sure thing."

"Thanks, babe," Horace said and slapped Virgil's ass.

Virgil scoffed and knocked Horace in his pearly teeth. "You're very welcome, honey."

Horace licked the blood from his lip and grew a wild leer.

Roman hollered, "Get some more bread, 'kay? I need something soft to puke up later."

Rather than reply, Horace winked at Roman to show that he got it.

Virgil yawned as he walked with Horace.

"You're tappin' out this early on me, Virgin?"

Virgil sneered. "Haven't been sleeping too well lately."

"Why's that?" Horace asked as he and Virgil signaled for the Grammeowster Chef to draw up some booze.

"Do you want the real reason, or the romantic reason?" Virgil challenged.

Horace raised a brow. "You know me—gotta always keep it real."

"I was frustrated with you," Virgil replied. "You costed us the investigation; you antagonized me—outright simply annoyed the fuckin' hell outta me."

"We did jus' have sex, right—I didn't fantasize 'bout it? 'Cause all that I'm hearin' is hate," Horace teased as he took some fresh, still steaming bread for Roman.

Virgil laughed as he received glasses from the Grammeowster Chef. "I couldn't stop thinking about you—you made me hot and restless—and I just wanted to physically handle you."

Horace pinged, "Oh?"

Virgil glared, smirking, as the two carried back the beers and bread. "I played over fights in my head again and again and it turned me on, which really fucking pissed me off."

Horace howled. "Me, too! Y'know—no lie—I would often get ragingly aroused when we'd fight. I always told myself that it was 'cause of the heat of the battle, but it only ever happened with you."

"Pussy," Virgil mocked as the men made it back to the table.

"Woah, woah, careful," Roman warned Horace as he reached for a tankard. "You're gonna spill some!"

Horace intentionally sloshed the glass and threw some of the beer's frothy head onto Roman. "Fuck you." He joked.

"You sure that you should be drinkin' so much, Virgil?" Minerva asked with a grin. "Aren't you expectin' Horace's baby soon?"

"Please," Virgil began. "We all know that Horace is my bitch, not the other way around," as he said, he ruffled Horace's hair.

With his tongue in his cheek, Horace stared at Virgil. "Okay, okay; I see how it is."

Augustus signed that Horace was a softy at heart.

Horace pointed aggressively at Augustus. "I told you that I only cried over you because I thought that you died on a hunt!"

They shared cackles.

"But, seriously, guys," Dante began. "You are fuckin', right? I got a lot of money ridin' on this with these assholes."

"I mean," Horace began. "We're not right now, but I can fix that," Horace bended Virgil over the tabletop. "You're all cordially invited to our bedding ceremony." Horace kicked apart Virgil's feet and pressed against him.

"Ease up, hog!" Virgil remarked as he tried to stop chuckling.

Their squad members cheered and screamed profanities.

Horace bound Virgil's arm behind his back. "Go ahead—struggle. It only makes this better. You know what," Horace leaned over Virgil. "I'd like to hear you beg."

Virgil wrinkled his nose as he beamed. "Fuck yourself," he said and spat at Horace.

Horace pulled back, wiping his face. "Bastard!"

Virgil struck Horace and then wrapped his arm around his neck, choking him.

Augustus signed, _was I the only one who saw them swapping spit earlier?_

Roman caught that and slapped Augustus, exclaiming, "What? Really?"

Horace fought against Virgil and, although he reddened his face, he never stopped leering.

"All you have to do is tap out, Whore," Virgil growled as the men stumbled around. "Admit defeat."

Horace refused to let Virgil win and, as a result, fainted.

When Horace came to, the first thing that he saw was Virgil.

Virgil slapped his face. "Come on, princess, wake up."

Horace punched Virgil as he sat up. "That's it," he proclaimed. "I'm gettin' the belt," as he said, he picked up Virgil and threw him over his shoulder.

"The fuck, Whore?" Virgil pushed against him.

"This'll be unsafe to watch," Horace boasted to their squads. "When you see Virgil tomorrow, guys, please don't ask about the welts and hickeys—it'll only embarrass him."

"Like hell!" Virgil said as Horace carried him away from the light of the Canteen as well as their squads.

Both squads waved at Virgil, offering no assistance.

Entering a house, Horace descended a flight of stairs that clung to the periphery of the room and flopped Virgil onto a bed that covered with Popo pelts.

"I'm still sore, you know, Whore," Virgil said to Horace as he looked up with half-mooned eyes, somewhat concealing the bloodied white of his left eye.

Also with a subconjunctival hemorrhage causing eyes like an enraged Savage Jho, Horace said, "We're not gonna have sex—well, anally, at least—'less you wanna high thrust your lance in my ass." As Horace teased, he flashed Virgil his perky cheeks.

Virgil cackled and exclaimed, "How is it that your ass hair's perfectly curled like tiny Mosswine tails?"

Pulling up his pants and then buttoning them as he faced Virgil, Horace replied, "It's 'cause I'm from the wild."

Virgil snorted.

Horace knelt between the spread of Virgil's thighs and unlatched Virgil's buttons.

"Wait," Virgil pushed on Horace by his forehead.

"What?" Horace looked up and smiled. "If you're not bangin' me, then at least I can be a man of my words."

Virgil furrowed his brow.

"Good at head, remember?" He said and pointed to his mouth.

Virgil laughed. "That's not—this isn't—no," he stammered.

Horace tittered. "Why are you so nervous?"

Though the alcohol already reddened Virgil's face, he flushed a hue darker as he said, "I—uh—I don't know; you just make me nervous."

Horace drew over Virgil and kissed him.

Virgil laid his hands on Horace's chest before clutching the collar of Horace's shirt, deepening their kiss by a tug.

Horace took the base of Virgil's fishtail braid and pulled it out from under him, so that Virgil no longer yanked on his own hair.

They parted lips and pressed together their foreheads.

"'Ey," Horace said lightly as he laced his fingers with Virgil's, which somewhat vibrated from trembles. "Please let me eat your dick," as he said, he dropped to between Virgil's legs and nipped at Virgil's thigh, nearest to his groin.

Virgil gasped and laughed. "I thought that you were going to say something sweet!" As he said, he sat up and gripped Horace by the curly locks in his crown.

"I may be sweet on you, but it doesn't change the fact that I want to swallow your cock."

Virgil tightened his hold in Horace's hair, but then lightened up and ran his fingers through it.

Horace understood that subtle gesture. He first kissed Virgil's palm as Virgil caressed his cheek, then he loosened the straps of Virgil's pants, relieving the tightness from Virgil's erection.

Virgil shifted around as Horace touched his sensitive skin and breathed down the length of his penis.

At the base, Horace laid a single, gentle kiss. He traced his tongue back up to the head and then took Virgil's penis to his palate.

Virgil jolted and pushed at Horace's shoulder with his foot.

Horace endured, lifting Virgil's leg over his shoulder, as he stroked and licked.

Virgil panted and fidgeted, gripping the bed sheets and pelts.

Horace reached over to Virgil's clenched fist and reassured him by brushing his thumb over Virgil's knuckles.

Virgil shuttered as he sighed, letting up on the tension.

Horace removed his hand from Virgil's to stimulate the sensitive, stippled skin of his scrotum.

Through gritted teeth, Virgil let out a groan, but then cleared his throat as if to clear the air of his sounds.

Shifting slightly, Horace repositioned himself, so that he could take in more. He gagged as the head of Virgil's cock met his oropharynx. Determined, though, Horace endured the spasms to swallow Virgil's penis.

Virgil hummed for an extended moment as he ran his fingers through Horace's curly locks.

Horace gagged not once, twice, but thrice, with each one stronger than the last.

The twinges simulated the contractions of a female orgasm.

"Ah, Hor—ah," Virgil tugged on Horace's head by his hair.

Though Virgil pulled out his cock from Horace's throat, Horace cradled Virgil's penis with his tongue.

Virgil grinded his teeth and writhed against Horace and the bed as he ejaculated.

Horace involuntarily gulped and consumed Virgil's semen as it came out in pulses.

When Horace lifted his head from Virgil, a thin strand of mucoid saliva and semen attached Horace to Virgil. As Horace grinned, a trickle of that same concoction dripped over his lower lip. He caught it to let it not waste on the floor; he slurped it from his finger.

Virgil let out another long groan as he went limp in body and mind.

When Horace prepared a quip to say, "Hunters," the Commander interrupted him from atop the stairs.

The hunters jolted and widened their eyes at each other.

Quickly, Virgil buttoned his pants.

As Horace stood, both took notice of his obvious erection. They scrambled words as they whispered to each other.

By the nearing sounds of his footsteps, the Commander descended toward them.

In a split second, Virgil tackled Horace and began punching him.

Through blows, Horace argued, "The hell?"

"Go with it!" Virgil spat.

"What are you two fighting over now?" As Virgil cocked his fist, the Commander stood before them and asked.

Virgil sat in Horace's lap, straddling him and concealing his erection.

"—The bed—"

"—Breakfast—"

The hunters replied at the same time. They looked at each other.

The Commander howled. "How is it that you don't know what you're fightin' about? Perhaps, if you were on the same page about what you're fighting over, you'd finally agree on something."

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" Horace retorted.

"Do you need something from us, sir?" Virgil asked.

"I didn't come here to join you, did I?"

Horace cackled. "I surely hope not, sir—I only fight Virgil."

Touched, Virgil smiled at Horace.

"We're setting out for Velkana—per the Field Team Leader's new orders," the Commander said. "Ambush her while she's weak."

"Now?" Virgil asked.

He nodded.

"I'm still very inebriated," Horace said. "So, now's perfect!"

The Commander leered. "That's the spirit. Armor up, eat up and get your asses to the gates. We depart before dawn."


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this final chapter, our hunters head off on the battle of a lifetime. This incredible fight will change the World of Monster Hunter forever.

"This fuckin' snow's unholy," Roman lamented as he trailed behind Virgil and Horace.

Virgil, Horace, their squads and a barrage of other Fivers, including the Sapphire Star, braved the early morning torrents on the foothills of the Hoarfrost Reach.

Horace looked back and remarked, "This is the first time that I've seen you knee-deep in somethin' other than shit."

Roman stumbled as he broke through a patch of ice-capped snow. "I'm 'bout to be knuckles-deep in your ass."

Virgil grew a mischievous grin. "I'd love to see that."

A rumble alerted the company.

In a nearby area, a Banbaro warred over turf with a Beotodus.

Synchronized like a murder of crows taking flight, the Scoutflies at everyone's waist colored blue and picked up Velkana's location.

The Sapphire Star's handler cheered and giggled before taking off after the Scoutflies on her own.

Virgil and Horace winced as the Sapphire Star's handler called out to the squads with a shrill voice.

"I'm so glad that my handler never comes on quests—she jus' tells me not to get eaten—even though she nicknamed me _monster-bait_ ," Horace said. "Our poor Sapphire Star."

Virgil agreed by saying, "My handler always treats me like ass—calls me a cunt-licker and tells me to accept quests at the quest board, rather than with her."

"It's wonderful," Virgil and Horace said at the same time. They chuckled.

The party of Fivers' trail of Scoutflies cut off suddenly when they reached an area with a hot spring. The flies turned no colors, but simply returned to their hunters.

Several Pearlspring Macaques, with a rare Goldspring Macaque at the center of the tour group, bathed in the hot waters of the spring.

The Fivers exchanged brief looks before the Sapphire Star commanded with hand signals for the party to search for tracks.

Virgil knelt by Velkana tracks that Viper Tobi-Kadachi prints obscured.

Horace accompanied him. While gathering samples of the Kadachi variant as well, Horace said, "There's somethin' not right—the flies never cut off like this."

"That's what I thought," Virgil said as he wafted the scent of the marred sample of Velkana tracks at his Scoutflies.

A few Scoutflies ventured to Virgil's knife and landed on the blade's edge. They flickered between blue and red.

A shadow fell over the hunters.

Velkana glided overhead.

"Sapphire Star!" Horace alerted the party and then grappled onto the low-flying Elder.

Velkana staggered from the impact of the claw but remained airborne like iceborne—Velkana's brilliant armor glittered in the early morning light and covered nearly every centimeter of her, which blotted out her scent and made her invisible to the Scoutflies.

Horace leaped from her forelimb to her crown and grounded Velkana by a Flinch Shot.

The party surrounded the fallen Velkana and bombarded her with a flurry not too dissimilar to her snow—a mix of close-combat and ranged projectiles.

In lateral recumbency, Velkana thrashed until she found her footing and righted herself. Velkana knocked back hunters by her tail and then forced the remaining members to evade her frigid breath.

Like a spring, Virgil sprung up from his barrel-roll and then catapulted toward Velkana. With his Switchaxe in Sword mode, Virgil attached to Velkana at her left pelvic limp and unleashed an elemental burst.

The knockback of Virgil's discharge separated him and Velkana by an explosive force.

Velkana stumbled for but a moment. She took to the air and aimed her regrown tail-spike at the Sapphire Star.

The Sapphire Star dodged the first attack but suffered a blow upon Velkana's second attempt.

Virgil, as well as several healers, rushed to the Sapphire Star's aid. Virgil buffed the Sapphire Star with damage up and armor up and the healers mended all physical wounds with potions and powders.

Horace sprinted at Velkana and withdrew his Great Sword at a precise, most critical, moment and landed a devastating strike that shattered Velkana's transparent yet auspicious crown.

Velkana flinched and backed off.

Horace and his squad kept on Velkana.

Roman repeatedly thwacked Velkana's snoot with his shield to discourage her from seeking the Sapphire Star.

Augustus, and a few other Long Sword wielders, focused on Velkana's tail. Augustus lugged his Long Sword at the base of the Elder Dragon's tail and then jumped into the air. While aerial, Augustus brought down his blade onto Velkana in a full-force assault.

Mirroring him, the other Long Sword wielders executed their Spirit Helm Breaker strike.

The ice-armor that protected Velkana's rear and tail fractured and splattered onto the hunters. Not benign but practically metastatic, the shards penetrated through the hunters' defenses like hypodermic needles and spread throughout their bodies. The Long Sword wielders and Augustus fell back to manage their injuries.

Horace beat on Velkana at her proud chest until he broke through the hardened frost, revealing her macerated breast meat that still bled from the impact of the Dragonrazer.

Enraged, Velkana called for a shower of icicles.

Hunters scattered.

Velkana hopped up and hovered. She concentrated her breath onto a single point on the ground.

Ice mounds erupted from the thick permafrost like a circle of javelins in a pit.

As the trench of spears grew in circumference, the hunters retreated.

Upon the full extent of Velkana's exhale, the quarry of ice burst, sending glassy bullets of ice at the hunters.

"Babe," after Horace recovered from evading, he rushed to Virgil's side. "You okay?"

Virgil took a knee. "Yeah," he managed to say before both men rolled again as Velkana blew snow and snot along the horizon.

Panting, "How much more can this bitch dish out?" Horace complained.

Hills of frost collected as Velkana rampaged.

Virgil and Horace took cover behind a solidified slush pile to break from Velkana's temper tantrum.

Virgil, also gasping, replied, "She's dangerous at both ends—what do you say we fix that?"

"Which end and how?" As Horace asked, both hunters flinched for Velkana hit the ice that they hid behind with another breath.

"Tail—sever," Virgil replied.

"We tried that yesterday—it failed," Horace said as he guzzled down a Mega Potion. "Just broke off some ice."

"We'll hit her together," Virgil posed. "Hit me up," Virgil pointed into the morning sky. "Land your hit and when I come down, I'll finish it."

Horace nodded. "Let's do it."

The hunters hurdled over the ice barricade and sought after Velkana.

Velkana curled her tail around a group of hunters, including the Sapphire Star, and took their feet from beneath them. Several hunters fainted.

Palicos and other supporting hunters gathered their fallen brothers and sisters onto carts and headed for a nearby camp to assess, triage and treat.

The Sapphire Star munched on an Ancient Potion, restoring the lost health and fatigue due to the Elder's attack and coldness.

Virgil took the lead before Horace and readied himself for Horace's assist.

Horace withdrew his Great Sword and lugged it forward, catapulting Virgil into the new day's pastel sky. Continuing with his momentum, Horace threw down his Great Sword again and again, nearing Velkana, until he buried his blade into the flesh at the base of Velkana's exposed tail.

The blade sank so deep that, even if Horace wanted to pull out his sword, he could not retract it from her meat.

Velkana cried out and jerked, pulling Horace slightly forward. He tugged back, attempting to realign her with Virgil.

While afloat, Virgil withdrew his Switchaxe in Sword mode. As he plummeted down, he swung his blade and crossed it with Horace's Great Sword.

Together, the hunters' severed Velkana's tail cleanly between caudal vertebrae.

The impact reverberated down the handle of Horace's Great Sword, numbing Horace's hands to the extent that he lost motor function and dexterity. He dropped his blade and fell back, tripping over disturbed snow.

Virgil rolled on the opposite side of Velkana and also disarmed as he staggered about.

Velkana shrieked and buckled at her hocks. Turning her eyes from her primary target, the Sapphire Star, to Virgil and Horace, Velkana became aggravated by the offending hunters. Velkana reestablished herself and proceeded to push back all other hunters by puffs of spite. She walled off everyone else by building intricately laid spires, singling out Virgil and Horace.

Virgil and Horace resorted to fleeing from the foundations that Velkana constructed about them.

Velkana made no apparent exit for her castle of spikes; she even narrowed the walls at the peaks, making a pointed ceiling of crossing projections.

Virgil and Horace took cover behind one of the walls of ice.

"I can't really move my hands," Horace whispered to Virgil as he attempted to make a fist.

Velkana stalked about her sanctuary, searching for the hunters.

Outside, fellow Fivers attempted to break in.

Virgil covered Horace's hands with his own. "Can you feel this?"

Velkana sensed the hunters and blew ice at the mound, cutting it in half.

The hunters leaped and escaped Velkana's fury.

Virgil dragged Horace by the elbow behind another wall.

"I-I don't think that I can fight," Horace hissed, trying to wiggle his fingers.

Virgil clasped Horace's hands. "I'll distract her—find a way out."

"Wait—"

As Horace attempted to halt Virgil, Velkana rammed into the mound and toppled the hunters. Velkana stepped directly on Virgil's back and prepared a breath.

Horace beat his poorly clenched fists into Velkana's snoot.

Velkana backed off Virgil and staggered while Horace lugged his numb limbs at her. She sneezed as a result of the strikes.

Virgil lunged at Horace, shoving him as he collided into him. "Get out—get help!" Virgil withdrew his Switchaxe and used the blunt force of the Axe mode to deter Velkana.

However, Velkana, while still relatively enraged, knocked down Virgil by a charge. With a scream of frigid spite, Velkana endowed Virgil in an armor in her likeness.

The snow and ice congested the joints of Virgil's mail and turned his movements to stone. The cold tangled his hair with icicles and blued his fair skin.

Velkana let up on Virgil, but only to tend to herself. She hovered low and cried out, restoring her defenses with a thick layer of damage-resistant frost. The coating grew like reaching fingers across her puffed-out chest, protecting her bruised and chipped sore from the Dragonrazer.

Horace dragged Virgil and himself behind a wall. "I'm not leaving you—you know that!"

Velkana blindly attacked, cracking her impregnable fortress that the Fivers failed to enter.

Shuttering, Virgil plucked out the shards embedded in the bends of his elbows and knees.

"We'll jus' wait it out," as Horace said, he attempted to assist Virgil, but barely managed to grasp clumps of snow from Virgil's armor.

The hunters startled as a Stonebill bird frantically flapped about them, colliding with the walls.

"It'll attract her," Horace said and moved to find a new spot.

"You're right," Virgil pinged. "It will."

"What're—"

Velkana found the men and attacked.

Virgil equipped his Capture Net and caught the Stonebill amid the scrambling with Velkana.

"Put down the damn bird!" Horace scolded as he pushed Virgil from Velkana's attention with his shoulder.

Both hunters tumbled further into Velkana's maze of ice like mirrors.

Virgil struggled to maintain his hold on the Stonebill as the bird thrashed in the net.

"Virgil—"

"—Quiet," Virgil cut off Horace. "Give me a minute." Virgil exposed the Stonebill's legs and trapped its feet in his grip. He strapped his forearm across the bird's breast, pinning the bird against his own chest, and tucked its wings, so that the bird could no longer move. "How're your hands?"

"Uh," Horace stuttered and assessed his motor function. Though still slightly impaired, Horace could move his fingers. "I can move them, but not well."

"Get the Velkana sample from my pouch—the tail sample from yesterday."

Horace furrowed his brow. "What—"

"—Trust me," Virgil cut off Horace again.

Horace nodded and retrieved the sample.

"Tether it to the Stonebill's leg," Virgil said and extended the bird's limb for Horace.

Horace fumbled with the sample and the tether, even dropping it a few times before finding success. "'Kay, it's on—for the most part."

"It'll do," Virgil said and threw up the bird.

The Stonebill fluttered around and clashed with the walls, but soon escaped through the open ceiling.

"What now?" Horace whispered.

Virgil gripped Horace by the collar of his breastplate and kissed him. When they parted lips he said, "I don't know, but that felt right."

Horace scoffed and smiled but sobered up when the castle trembled. "Virgil, I—"

A massive impact into the castle disrupted Horace's thought; the blast threw back Virgil and Horace tens of meters, through a mound of asymmetrically laid ice.

Face down, Horace laid unresponsive.

"Whore!" Virgil crawled over to him and shook him after recovering from the throw, himself.

Horace aroused by Virgil's touch. When he looked up, he widened his eyes and shouted, "Nergigante?" He tackled Virgil, knocking both men out of the way of the Nergigante's ranged attack of black spines.

Rather than respond in surprise or fear, Virgil began laughing upon an uproar.

"The hell, Virgin!" Horace cried as the men hurried out of the yawning hole that the Nergigante made in Velkana's fortress.

"That's the variant!" Virgil exclaimed, still cackling. "He came!"

The Sapphire Star as well as their squad members rushed to Virgil and Horace.

Before anyone even asked, Horace said, "We're fine—we're fine. Get the fuck back—the Nergigante variant is in there!"

Augustus rapidly signed, _how?_

"Virgil lured him," Horace replied, though screaming.

Augustus asked the same question with the same quick hand signs, emphasizing that luring monsters was an unfamiliar thing.

Velkana erupted from her falling castle as the spires imploded on themselves.

The Nergigante variant tailed her.

Velkana landed before her crumbling Sanctuary and faced the hunters.

The Elder Dragon Eater variant shadowed her. He bobbed his head, testing the air surrounding Velkana.

Velkana glared at him over her shoulder.

The variant approached her and set his paw on her back.

A fire ignited in Velkana's eyes. She shrieked—even putting to shame the call of a Shrieking Legiana—and struck the variant in the maw with her own paw.

The variant backed off and shook his head, curling his upper lip, revealing that nasty set of needle-like teeth.

Velkana assailed the Nergigante variant with several puffs of ice.

The variant retaliated. He leaped through Velkana's spitted blizzard and toppled her. He snapped shut her mouth by a vice-like grip over her jaw. He roared in her face and then bashed her head against the hard, cold ground.

Velkana writhed against the variant, eventually finding enough footing to kick back the variant. Once righted, Velkana tackled the variant and bit at his nape.

The Nergigante bucked and hopped about.

The hunters and their party fell back to let the Elders fight over something much greater than turf.

Velkana snatched the variant by the scruff and shook her head, splintering off spines from the variant.

The Elder Dragon Eater variant flicked out his black wings and dislodged Velkana from his scaled flesh. He jumped into the air and dived down onto Velkana.

Velkana buckled under the Elder Dragon Eater's weight.

The Nergigante variant mounted Velkana. He trapped her beneath himself by gripping her at the nape with a bite.

Velkana struggled.

The variant growled and tightened his jaw, piercing through Velkana's icy armor and flesh beneath. He maintained his snarl, seemingly as a threat to keep Velkana submissive.

Velkana calmed but panted heavily.

Just as the variant donned Velkana, the variant stripped Velkana of her royal armor by gashing her sides with his claws.

Velkana whimpered as the variant broke through skin and caused significant bleeding.

The Elder Dragon Eater released Velkana and filled the air with his signature grumble.

Velkana limped as she pulled away from the variant.

With a final stare down, the variant turned away from Velkana and faced the hunters.

Everyone armed up.

The Nergigante variant snorted and took to the sky, disappearing above the clouds.

Velkana, too, ascended to the heavens, but only to seek out her nest. As she flew, she wobbled and gasped.

"This is it! This is it!" Minerva asserted.

The hunters rallied and began for Velkana's nest.

Horace asked Virgil, "Are you okay to slay her?"

Virgil nodded. "Velkana's the reason that we're together," he replied, clearing his throat and wiping his cheeks of the tears that fell. "Gotta thank the bitch somehow for this torture."

Horace tittered and pulled Virgil into his embrace. He kissed his forehead and said, "My thoughts exactly, babe."

The Sapphire Star put their hand on Virgil's shoulder.

Both hunters alerted.

"We got your back," Horace reassured.

The Sapphire Star smiled and nodded.

Too, taking off for Velkana's nest, the hunters followed their gleaming Sapphire Star.

As the party neared the nest, mercury-colored spires collected in intricate interlacing patterns. Some spikes acted as flying buttresses, while others spiraled into themselves, making feathery artworks of frost and snow. Much like a pristine cathedral of silver, Velkana's nest bore an echo as well as a grand entrance that inflicted a sense of grandeur. A light hum like ringing windchimes in a calm wind also sounded out as the cold nibbled on the crystalline columns of ice.

"We bombin' the bitch?" Horace asked in a whisper as the hunters came upon Velkana, who curled up and tucked her nose into her wings as she slept at the center of her nest.

The Sapphire Star responded with a wicked smile.

"I'll take that as a yes," Horace said.

The hunters crouched down and walked in a single line, like a comet tail trailing the physical comet. Like a conveyor belt, each hunter laid down Barrel Bombs—some big, some mega-sized—around Velkana's head.

Virgil split from the group and headed to the wall adjacent to lay his Mega Barrel Bombs.

Horace followed Virgil and set his bombs by Virgil's.

Dante, Minerva, Augustus and Roman added to the pile at the wall, too.

All hunters backed off Velkana, leaving the Sapphire Star to stand at her side.

The Sapphire Star waved at Virgil and Horace as they parted from the wall. They raised their Clutch Claw and suggested that the men mount Velkana, too.

"Hell of a ride, I suppose," Horace whispered to Virgil, loading his Slinger with stones. "You in?"

Virgil nodded, equipping Dragon Pods to his Slinger. "Send her out with a bang." Virgil aimed his Clutch Claw.

Horace matched Virgil's stance.

The Sapphire Star saluted and fired their Clutch Claw.

Virgil and Horace triggered their claws, too.

All three hooks sparked the Barrel Bombs, causing a billow of fire and smoke.

Velkana awoke within the pyre and black gas, howling.

Virgil, Horace and the Sapphire Star grappled onto Velkana through the heat and haze. Collectively, they hopped to her crown and shot their Slinger ammo at Velkana's mutilated face, projecting the Elder Dragon forward, toward the wall of Barrel Bombs.

The hunters dismounted her and crashed into the crystalline ground.

Velkana collided with the Bombs and wall and upon the impact—the explosion, too—Velkana perished. She let out a weakening cry as she collapsed; soon, even her echo faded.

The hunters rejoiced—hugging, kissing, cheering. The hunters rushed to carve Velkana until nothing remained of her but a bloodstain.

Virgil, however, walked to Velkana's head.

Burned from blue to black, Velkana's face peeled at the mandible.

Virgil grunted as he lifted her head.

Horace came to his aid and assisted him. "What're you doin'?" He, too, struggled to hold up Velkana's great yet limp head.

Virgil pressed his forehead to Velkana's snoot. "Thank you." He raised his head, letting the tears roll over his eyelids, onto Velkana's boiled skin.

"Pussy," Horace teased.

As the hunters shared laughter, while their fellow Fivers tugged on Velkana's corpse with Hunter's Knives, Virgil set Velkana's nose in his lap. Virgil cradled Velkana until Revoltures came to pick at her bones.

When the hunters returned to Astera, their people prepared a grand festival for them. Towers of dried, but well-seasoned meats stacked higher than the books by the Ancient Tree. The air tinged with warm breads, fried eggs, shellfish, meats and freshly brewed beer. Music blared—Virgil and Horace even heard it a kilometer in the air while trekking home on Wingdrakes. Their people dressed in garbs the color of the rainbow and trotted about the base in dance, throwing up puffs of dyed smokes to entertain their returning hunters.

Men and women greeted Virgil, Horace and their fellow Fivers with an abundant of embraces and kisses.

Virgil and Horace partook in their celebration until both men bloated from all the foods and frothy drinks. They twirled around with anyone who asked for their hand until day turned to night and people began stumbling home.

At the Canteen, Virgil and Horace rested their aching feet on stools as they enjoyed the night sky and night air together.

"What now?" Horace asked as he sipped on coffee spiked with rum. "Do we get married or somethin'?"

Virgil scoffed and set down his hot, caffeinated drink. "We can, but I was thinking more along the lines of letting you hold my hair as I puke later."

Horace leered. "I'd be so honored!"

Virgil burped. "Might be a little sooner than later, though."

"Even better!" Horace cackled.

"Hunters!" The Commander approached the men, though he staggered somewhat and spilled his beer onto Virgil. "Haven't appropriately praised you!"

"Unneeded, sir," Virgil said. "I've kissed enough people today."

"What about me?" Horace whined. "I was lookin' forward to a big, sloppy one after you yacked!"

Virgil laughed.

"I'm not talking about the slaying of Velkana, men," the Commander said, sitting down. "The ecologists and engineers heard about you luring out the Nergigante variant to fight with Velkana—haven't seen them this happen since the Sapphire Star slayed Xeno'jiiva!"

"I keep tellin' Virgil that he should quit bein' a hunter and become an ecologist!" Horace shouted.

The commander nodded. "They want to learn more about luring monsters out into the field—they think that this could revolutionize how we face large monsters and perhaps track down the Nergigante variant—Ruiner Nergigante," the Commander named the variant and puffed out his chest.

"You're welcome," Virgil slurred, teasing.

"But," the Commander said and stood up. "They need two dumbasses to gather more samples out in the field."

"He's talkin' 'bout us!" Horace excitedly whispered as he and Virgil exchanged looks.

"What do you say, hunters?" The Commander crossed his arms. "You up for another investigation?"


End file.
